What dreams can do
by Moonglow gal
Summary: So...their quest is finally over. Naraku has been defeated. Now that their lives aren't in immediate danger, will Inu and Kag own up? And what happens when the Shikon Jewel reappears? Inu x Kag, Mir x San
1. The wolf gets told off

What dreams can do: The wolf gets told off  
  
Um, hi this is my first fic. Actually, I've been wanting an account for, like, a month and I just got one, so in my spare time I have begun THREE fics. So bear with me if I get stuff mixed up, just REVIEW and let me know. So, this is the first one I wrote, so here we go!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha *mumbles softly* Stupid cricket  
  
"speech" 'thought' everything else ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's frustrated voice echoed over a near deserted field, her long black hair falling over her face.  
  
"Kagome, I am completely FED UP with this wolf trash calling you his woman!" Inuyasha's amber eyes were hard and angry, his clawed hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga, ready to draw it.  
  
"And what else would I call her, then, dog-turd? Your woman, perhaps? That's a laugh!" A wolf demon stood across the field from Inuyasha, taunting him, waiting for what he knew what would happen. "Kagome is mine! You no longer need your shard detector, and she's long ago agreed to be my mate!"  
  
"Come and FIGHT for her, than, coward!" Inuyasha drew his sword as it transformed into the powerful steel-cleaving fang.  
  
"SIT!" Kagome's command immediately threw Inuyasha to the ground with a force so great that a mere human would've broken his spine. Kouga silently laughed to himself, 'I knew she'd do it,' and began speeding toward her. Kagome snapped, "Kouga, don't even THINK of coming a single inch closer to me!"  
  
His jaw dropped. Kagome continued, "I am so sick of you two fighting over me like I'm a toy! Neither of you, especially you, Kouga, seems to care about what I have to say! So I'll tell you now. Kouga, I am NOT your woman and I have no idea how you got that idea into your head. I stay with Inuyasha because I want to. Now, you, Inuyasha, I don't appreciate how you always try to kill Kouga. He's my friend, as much as Miroku or Kaede is, and you wouldn't hurt them, would you?"  
  
The "sit" having worn off, Inuyasha finally managed to stand. His expression was not what Kagome had expected. He looked rather relieved and somewhat shocked, though he quickly replaced it with his usual scowl. Kouga's face was a mask of pure hurt.  
  
"But... Kagome..."  
  
Kouga, I'm sorry, but you're not the one for me."  
  
He stared at Kagome for a few more seconds, then turned and sped away, completely silent.  
  
Inuyasha came up to her and asked gruffly, "You okay?"  
  
She looked up at him in surprise. "Yeah, let's get back to the others."  
  
"Feh." ////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
I know it was short, but it gets better so don't hurt me! *runs into pillow fort* Hah! Can't get me here! Please review! 


	2. The sun and moon

What dreams can do: The sun and moon  
  
Hiya, Im back, thanx to Sk8er-kitty888, OuswariTetsusaiga, and Suga angel (es for bein my very first reviewers!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_____^ I will not be able to update for a/b a week because I'm going to Hawaii over Spring Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee, ONE MORE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, um, yeah, this be the second chapter and you will find out in the third chappie why I called this "what dreams can do". Right then, on with the show!  
  
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"Kagome, you're back already! So what happened this... what's wrong?" Kagome's best friend, Sango, ran toward her with a smile, then slowed down when she saw the glum look on Kagome's face. "Would you like to go somewhere private to talk?" Kagome nodded wordlessly and walked into the woods.  
  
Kagome muttered softly, "I told Kouga that he wasn't the one for me." Sango gasped a little. "He looked so sad and rejected, but what else could I have told him?"  
  
"Don't worry, he'll get over it, and hopefully he'll get over you." Sango patted Kagome's back comfortingly. "So how did Inuyasha react?"  
  
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"You don't know how relieved I was when she said that," Inuyasha sighed, leaning tiredly against "his" tree, facing Miroku. He had been having such "man-to-man" talks with the monk for quite a while, and had gotten used to spilling his woes to his first real friend. He had confessed already that he had feelings for both Kagome and Kikyo, Kagome's preincarnation (AN: um, is that a word?), and didn't know who to choose. And he would be forced to make a decision in just a few days.  
  
Flashback  
  
Naraku was dead, slain by the combined force of Kagome and Kikyo's arrows, his remains swept away. The Shikon jewel had mysteriously disappeared.  
  
Sango knelt at the dead Kirara's side, her brother's head resting in her lap as he struggled to breathe. Miroku stood beside her, gently supporting her and allowing Shippo to lean against him. Kagome gazed after Inuyasha, walking into a secluded area with Kikyo, tears sparkling in her eyes.  
  
Kikyo said in her cold voice, "Have you decided yet, Inuyasha? I grow impatient with this indecisiveness."  
  
He sighed and replied, "Kikyo, you are very important to me, but so is Kagome. Just give me more time. Please."  
  
"One week. Then you must choose." Kikyo turned and disappeared into the shadows of the coming evening.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"She's coming in three days, monk. Who should I choose?"  
  
Miroku sighed. "That is a choice that only you can make. What matters to you? Going to hell with Kikyo, or staying with Kagome? Is there a reason why are you considering going to hell other than love? Guilt, perhaps? And the same for staying. Why do you want to stay? Ask yourself who you hold most dear, and that will help you decide. Remember," he said wistfully, glancing at the girls as they returned to the hut, "Love isn't always the clear-cut thing the legends make it out to be." At that, he walked toward the hut where Kohaku and Shippo were resting, leaving Inuyasha some time alone.  
  
"Who I hold most dear," Inuyasha said quietly. He sighed and rested his head on his hands, feeling a headache coming on, the type that always reared its ugly head when he thought about the two mikos. 'So similar in appearance, but wild opposites in character. Kikyo was always so serious, adult, and insecure in some ways. Kagome is so bouncy and lively, but so immature. One is calm, one is emotional. One is passive, one is fierce. Like the sun and moon. So which to choose?'  
  
He groaned. No matter how he approached it, he always came to the same question. Which one? 'Damn it, why'd I have to get mixed up in this, anyway?'  
  
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and they all lived happily ever after! OK not really, but anyway, so enjoy, enjoy, I will update after my Spring Break, and you know what would be a nice welcome back present? REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, C ya! =D 


	3. Mother's Love

What dreams can do: Mother's love  
  
Hiya, I'm back!!!!! Ok, this chappie was originally two, but ppl have been griping to me about their being too short, so here ya go! But, I have these major time issues, so gimme a break, especially since it's the end of the quarter and all. Anywho, um, I don't think I've got NEthing else to say, so get ready... get set... GO!!  
  
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"Hey, wench, get back here! Where the hell d'you think you're going?"  
  
"Inuyasha, we've been doing this for years, now. Why do you always put up such a fuss when I go home?" Kagome looked exasperated, standing in front of the well with her hands on her hips. "Geez."  
  
Inuyasha glared at her for a moment, then turned around and crossed his arms. "Feh. You've got three days. And make sure you bring more Ramen."  
  
Kagome couldn't help but giggle as she slipped into the well.  
  
Inuyasha whipped around when he heard it, but she had already disappeared into her own time. That strange time in the future when demons were mere myth and only crazy people believed in them. Like Kagome's loony grandfather, who desperately flung sacred scrolls at him whenever he dropped by.  
  
"Hey, Inuyasha, I'm bored!" He winced as Shippo's shrill, whiny voice pierced his sensitive ears. He turned and glared at the young fox demon.  
  
"Listen up, squirt. You've got ten seconds to run and hide before I completely blow my stack." Inuyasha could feel the stress from wavering between Kagome and Kikyo add onto all of his extra energy that was left over from Naraku's absence. "Ten, nine..."  
  
Shippo's eyes widened, and he rushed into the hut and the protection of Sango's arms. Inuyasha sighed and ran into the trees, racing around randomly to release some of the stress, occasionally stopping to punch at a few trees. He finally jumped into the topmost branches of a particularly tall tree.  
  
"Two more days." He groaned and pounded the tree trunk. 'What'll happen if I choose Kikyo? I'll die...and I'll probably make Kagome cry. Damn, I hate it when I do that. If I choose Kagome, Kikyo may attack us. I doubt I could stand up to an infuriated Kikyo. Which of them matters more to me? What should I do?' He looked up at the stars.  
  
// ~ Flashback ~\\  
  
"My dear little Inuyasha, you know that I love you, right?" His mother, a tall, silver-eyed beauty, hugged a tiny Inuyasha close.  
  
"Yes, mama, I know." He snuggled into her soft black hair, inhaling her calming mother scent.  
  
"Darling, if I ever... have to leave, please remember this. I'll be watching you from the stars. If you ever need my help, ask the stars. Trust me, I'll hear you, and I'll help you however I can. Never forget, Inuyasha. I will always love you and protect you. I will always be there for you."  
  
// ~ End Flashback ~ \\  
  
"And that bastard, Naraku, murdered her barely a month later," Inuyasha said softly to himself. He turned his eyes heavenward again. "Mother, please help me. Guide me to my special someone." He watched the stars until he fell asleep.  
  
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"Inuyasha..."  
  
He spun around and watched as she stepped into the forest clearing. "Kikyo, what are you doing here?"  
  
Her eyes filled with tears. "It's true, then. You don't need me, now that you have her. Goodbye, Inuyasha. You're better off without me." She stepped away from him and knelt into a praying position. The earth opened and sucked her in, then closed seamlessly.  
  
"Oh my god, Kikyo! Crap!" Inuyasha ran to where she had knelt moments before and began tearing at the earth. "Come back! How could you?! I thought you cared more about me than to leave me like that!" He realized dimly that he was standing and screaming at the ground, tears starting to form in his eyes.  
  
"Inuyasha, what happened?" Kagome pushed through a hedge.  
  
"It's Kikyo. She... she..." He gestured at the ground.  
  
Kagome suddenly burst into tears. "That's all you care about, isn't it?! Well, fine! Go mourn your lover! I'm leaving for good!" She stormed away.  
  
Inuyasha stood like a ton of bricks had hit his face, but suddenly snapped back to attention when he heard a growl and a scream. The dreaded scent of Kagome's blood reached his nose. "Hang on, Kagome! I'm coming!"  
  
He flew toward the smell and burst out of the woods, where a horrible scene met his eyes. Kagome lay on her back, her throat and upper chest torn open and still bleeding, her eyes glazed over. Beside her stood... Kouga?!  
  
"You godamned BASTARD! How could you?! I thought you loved her! You'll pay with for more than your life for THIS!" Inuyasha, though enraged, felt peculiar, like he was watching this unfold, instead of being in the unfolding. "I'll rip you apart piece by piece! I'll let crows pick at your still living body! I'll feed you to your own kin!"  
  
Kouga just laughed, his nose, mouth, and chin drenched with blood. "She was dangerous. Once I understood that there was nothing to prevent her from exterminating me, I knew she had to go. Besides, you don't deserve such a fine bitch!" He raced away, still laughing.  
  
"Kagome..."Inuyasha said weakly. "You can't be dead. There's no way you can be dead. You're not dead!" His voice had escalated into screams. "Damnit, wench, get up!"  
  
He desperately hauled her to her feet, but she collapsed back to the ground, limp as cloth. "No..." Inuyasha felt himself falling to the ground beside her...  
  
WHUMPF!!!!!!!!!!  
  
"Ow!" Inuyasha let out a string of curses. He looked up at the tree he had just fallen out of. He suddenly noticed the tears on his cheeks and the sweat dampening his fire-rat armor. "Kagome," he whispered.  
  
He immediately streaked toward the well and jumped through without hesitation. The moment he touched the ground, he jumped again, exiting the well in the Higurashi family shrine. He raced to her bedroom window and looked in. He nearly fell to the ground at the relief that rushed through him when he saw her calmly sleeping in her bed.  
  
'Thank god.' About to return to the well, Inuyasha changed his mind and entered Kagome's room. 'Maybe I should watch over her for tonight.'  
  
He positioned himself comfortably at the wall opposite her bed, eyes locked onto her face. For most of the night, he dozed off, then woke again from disturbing images he couldn't remember. But when the sky had begun to brighten, he finally fell into a deep sleep, lulled by Kagome's calming scent of honeysuckle.  
  
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There ya go, chappie three. Geez, my song fic was longer than this. Ooh, that reminds me, check out 'Song of Remembrance' by me! ^_^ So, like I said B4, time issues, but I'll do what I can. Come on, review! I need the encouragement, I'm half dead already. X_X Happy ^_^ Sad T_T Indifferent -_- platypus ^=^ Thanx Katherine (aka arwentheelf02) I know, you all must be like ^_^;;;;;;;;;; Oh wow, I'm rambling, better go! Adios! 


	4. Confessions

What dreams can do: Confessions  
  
Hey, peeps, I'm back! Didja miss me? *dodges barrage of keyboards, mice, etc.* I'll take that as a yes. *floppy disc flies at forehead* ok, ok, I'm sorry I didn't update for a while... *calendar suddenly whacks cheek* *throws up hands in frustration* Fine, over a week! I'm REEEEEEEEEAAAAAALLLLLLLLLYYY sorry, but I've said it B4, TIME ISSUES! I think I'll get better over time, so don't assassinate me just yet. Geez.  
  
Disclaimer: I'm gonna say for the last time for this story: Inuyasha does not belong to me, and this pertains to all later chapters, so don't hurt me! *sticks tongue out at lawyers* Ha! No more of these for the rest of the story!  
  
Reminder: "..." = speech '...' = thought  
  
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"Inuyasha, hold on!" Kagome scrambled to the edge of a cliff, where Inuyasha desperately hung by one hand. "Hang on! I'm coming!"  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome gasped as Kikyo ran past her and un-hesitantly leapt into his free arm.  
  
"Kikyo, what—" Inuyasha now firmly grasped her waist. "What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
"Inuyasha, give up. You will fall soon, and then we can enter hell together." Kikyo gestured at the foot of the canyon over which Inuyasha hung. Kagome shuddered when she saw the boiling and smoking lava.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"You can't fight fate, Inuyasha. At least, not when you've gone this far."  
  
Had Inuyasha been standing on the ground, his shoulders would have slumped in defeat. Instead, his grip abruptly slipped. Instinctively, he hung on. "Inuyasha, please, don't let go," Kagome cried.  
  
He glared at her. "Kikyo's right. I'm doomed. Goodbye Kagome." Then, without the slightest hint of regret in his face, the half-demon released his grip.  
  
"NO! Inuyasha!" Kagome desperately flung herself flat on the ground, as close as she could get to the lip of the canyon, grasping for Inuyasha's hand. But he continued to fall, until he disappeared into the molten lava. "Inuyasha... please don't leave me like this," she whispered. Tears slid down her cheeks. 'Don't leave me alone...'  
  
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Kagome sat up in bed, gasping for breath. 'Oh lord... it was just a nightmare... oh thank god. Just a dream, a stupid, stupid sick fantasy.' She breathed deeply, fighting the urge to break into sobs. 'It felt so real.' She glanced around her room, lit by the just-risen sun, and jumped. Inuyasha sat at the base of the opposite wall, sound asleep.  
  
"Inuyasha, what are you doing here?" She spoke in a normal tone of voice, yet he only snorted and shifted his shoulders. His broad, strong shoulders... 'Oh, stop it, Kagome! What's with you, gawking at his shoulders of all things?' She looked at his head and giggled at the familiar sight of his ever-alert ears. Feeling adventurous, she quietly got out bed and touched them.  
  
'I haven't gotten a chance to touch these in forever.' She started rubbing them, as one would for a good puppy, and jumped as a rumble started deep in his chest and escaped through his mouth. 'Whoa, tell me he's not purring...' She grinned and started rubbing faster.  
  
He suddenly snorted again and woke up. "GAH! Kagome, what are you doing?!" He was fully shocked out of sleepiness at the sight of a grinning Kagome right in front of him, rubbing his ears without a care in the world. 'Oh man, I hope to whatever god or goddess is listening that I wasn't purring.'  
  
"Erm... sorry. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, I came because..." He paused, searching for an excuse. Finding none, he settled for the truth. "I sort of had a dream."  
  
"Sort of? How do you 'sort of' have a dream? Tell me!"  
  
"I don't know, I really don't want to... it was kinda more of a nightmare than anything else."  
  
"I don't care, tell!"  
  
He sighed. "Fine, but listen to the whole story, ok? So, Kikyo came up to me in my dream—" He paused when Kagome made a noise that oddly reminded him of a growl. "Just listen. She said that I didn't need her anymore, and then she returned to hell." His voice was grim as he said that. "So I got really angry, upset, you name it, and I was yelling at the ground where she disappeared, like she could hear me still. Then you came up and got mad at me because you thought I only cared about her. You ran off, then I heard you scream—" He choked at the memory. Dream or no, it had been horrifying.  
  
"Inuyasha, are you ok? You want some water or something?" Kagome looked at him with concern in her eyes.  
  
"I'm fine, I don't need anything just now. But anyway, I followed your scent... your blood scent, and I found you laying on the ground. Dead." He whispered the last word.  
  
"WHAT????????!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING HERE?! WHAT KIND OF MESSED UP DREAM IS THIS??????!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kagome stood up like she had sat on a pin, smoke practically coming out of her nostrils, her hair standing on end.  
  
Inuyasha sighed. "I knew you'd react that way. Now calm down and just hear me out, ok?" Kagome sat down again, breathing heavily and shooting glares at him, steam lightly blowing out of her ears. "Kouga was standing by you with blood on his face. He had ripped open your neck and chest, all because he thought you would kill him. I felt... horrible. I woke up right about then, before the dream got any worse."  
  
Kagome looked calmer and sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Now that you've told me your nightmare, I may as well tell you mine."  
  
Inuyasha glanced up at her face. "You had one, too? So that's why you're all sweaty and smell like you're terrified."  
  
Kagome nodded. She normally would have had something to say about the sweaty comment, but she let it slide. "I'll tell you the basics, because I'd rather not relive that. I dreamt that you were hanging by one hand at the edge of a canyon with lava at the bottom..."  
  
"Lava?" Inuyasha looked blankly at her.  
  
"It's rock that's so hot, it turns to liquid and it glows red and orange and yellow."  
  
"Fire rock," Inuyasha said. "It pours from mountain tops, so it's also called mountain blood. Anyone would burn up on contact with it."  
  
"Exactly. So then, Kikyo jumps into your arms, and she convinces you to let go. Both of you fall and..." She stopped, knowing she didn't need to continue. "What scared me the most was that you gave up so quickly. Your spirit and fight were gone."  
  
Inuyasha stared at Kagome, who sat with her head bowed so her bangs hid her eyes. But he didn't need to see them, or sniff out the salty odor, to detect her tears. Her shaking shoulders and voice conveyed them very well. Suddenly, he felt something click in his head, and understanding and emotion flooded him 'Of course.'  
  
He reached out and put a finger under Kagome's chin, tilting her face to his eye level. "Kagome, please don't cry. I won't give up like that, ever. Not if it makes you cry like that. I hate seeing you do that. It tears me up and makes me feel guilty, no matter what the cause." He paused and took a deep breath. It would take courage to say what he planned to say next. 'Gods, don't let me mess this up.' "I- I love you, Kagome."  
  
He jumped for joy inside. He finally said it! "You're my whole world. No, not that. You are the sun that lights up my world, so I can see it and appreciate it. You warm me, wake me, and comfort me. I loved Kikyo before, but it was for the spirit of you that I already saw inside her, if only subconsciously. But now, here you are in the whole for me to appreciate, befriend, and love." He chuckled. "To think that I was so stupid that I had to depend on a dream." 'Thanks, mama,' he silently added.  
  
Kagome was shocked into paralysis. "I'm the one you choose. The one you love?"  
  
"Yes. My sun, my happiness. My Kagome."  
  
The familiar last sentence brought Kagome to reality. "But what do we tell Kouga? And Kikyo?" There was a quaver in her voice. She had the feeling that Kikyo would be far less than happy at their mutual love, and she would rather not face her in a temper.  
  
"In Kikyo's case, what can we do besides come right up with it? As for Kouga..."  
  
She saw the angry and possessive glint in Inuyasha's eyes. "Maybe you should leave him to me."  
  
"Why?" Inuyasha whined just like a little boy. "I wanna kick some serious wolf butt."  
  
"No. I won't have you attacking my friend." At the stubborn look on her love's face, she sighed. "If it's the dream that's bothering you, drop it. No matter what you say, Kouga isn't that stupid."  
  
Inuyasha sighed. "Fine. But it'll cost you."  
  
"And what's your price, oh king of bargainers (AN: I know it's not a word, so shut up)?"  
  
"This." He brought his face incredibly close to hers and gave her a long, sweet kiss. "I think that will cover the topic of wolf boy for a while."  
  
Kagome smiled up at him. "No fair. That means I get to kiss you, too."  
  
"But didn't you just— "  
  
"No, you kissed me." She drew his face close to hers again and kissed him...  
  
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Back in the Feudal Era, Sango and Miroku sat outside the hut, looking at the stars. Shippo and Kohaku, now best friends, slept inside. Miroku was holding Sango's hand, softly saying, "I'm sorry about all those times I pissed you off, especially with the groping. It was just... the woman I love, I needed to know that you were still you, still had your fire and independence."  
  
She squeezed his hand, eyes locked onto the distant constellations. "I understand, Miroku. The main reason why I hit you all those times was because I was afraid that you weren't serious. You flirted with so many girls, I thought that I was just another one of them. I didn't want to look like a fool, or get hurt." She sighed. "I'm such a coward."  
  
Miroku grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. "You are not a coward. Don't you ever say that again, Sango. You are one of the bravest and most honorable people that I have ever met. You fought back death to avenge your village, and you never stopped working for your goal. You almost scared me. I was intimidated by the fact that you seemed to fear nothing. No one is perfect, Sango."  
  
"Much of the same could be said of you," Sango pointed out wryly. "Even though you were cursed with a sure early death, you fought. You fought for revenge and for a child to carry things out if such a need would arise."  
  
Miroku blushed and thanked the darkness for hiding it. "Look, Sango, I didn't really ask you to come and talk to discuss my so-called virtues. I want to know, what will you do now, since Naraku is dead and your brother alive once again?"  
  
"I don't know what I can do. I'll probably just stick around with you guys, exterminate demons, that kind of thing."  
  
"Are you considering marriage?" Miroku asked softly.  
  
She whirled around. "What?"  
  
"Marriage. Surely you know what that means. Sango, we both love each other, what else is there? Can't you search for a new life with me by your side?"  
  
"I don't know... I don't think I'm ready for that."  
  
"Give it a try, Sango. Remember that you only live once. Take your chances with me. If we mess up, we can try again." He smiled as an image of Inuyasha and Kagome in one of their more friendly moments appeared in his head.  
  
Sango thought for a moment. 'We can always try again. You only live once.' She remembered Kikyo, and her own brush with death, when she had first met Naraku. 'Traitorous imagination.' "Let's do it." She leaned onto Miroku's shoulder.  
  
A moment of silence passed before Miroku pointed straight up and said, "Look. It's the Lovers. You see that constellation in the shape of an embracing man and woman?"  
  
Sango giggled. "How appropriate." They continued to gaze at the sky until Sango fell asleep. Miroku gently carried her inside and laid her on her pallet. After covering her with a thin blanket and his cloak (it was a chilly night), he set his own right beside her and fell asleep as well.  
  
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*Dusts off hands* There ya go, another chappie, with mild fluff thrown in. You know, I was originally gonna have Sango and Miroku just be friends, but I changed it. C'mon, they're perfect for each other! Lessee, what else?  
  
I think the story will be over in up to four chappies (don't you just love that word?), but who knows? I'm just going along with the story, so I dunno. I'm writing two other fics right now, tho I've been focusing on "Dreams". I'll probably write the third one that I started once I wrap this puppy up. I like it a lot better.  
  
Now, let's see. *clipboard with checklist and pen appears* *checks off a few boxes and reads next few items* Okay...  
  
REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!!  
  
Ahem. Yes. MUFFINS!! Ok, I think it's all out of my system now, so adios! 


	5. A Truce, sort of

What Dreams Can Do: A Truce (sort of)  
  
Hey, whaddup! I know, I know, I haven't updated in, like, FOREVER, but I'm just a major procrastinator and...yeah. Agh, I've got projects in English, Spanish, Geometry, Biology, and I'm pretty sure my sadistic Social Studies teacher will give us something soon (to KatDam: don't you think so? I mean, that's SO like Mrs. Rosenthal.) So...the point of that was to say that I'm gonna be real slow in updating cuz I can only access the internet at the library and school, and I have summer school (not the kind for stupid people, just the kind that gives you more credits). So don't kill me! And now, our feature presentation!  
  
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"Kouga, please, just calm down!" Kagome sounded desperate, trying to shove her way in front of Inuyasha. Kouga was snarling madly, furiously fighting to get past his restraining pack-mates, to jump at the red-clad half demon.  
  
"NO! I'll kill him! I'll kill the bastard! Get away!"  
  
Kagome turned her attention to Inuyasha. "Maybe you should go. He won't talk sense till you're out of sight at least. I really do need him to understand. And I can't do it if he's screaming his brains out at you." She smiled up at him.  
  
"Fine," he grumbled. "Just be careful. There may have been more to my dream than a message that I love you." He brushed a hand across her cheek before grinning and bounding into the trees.  
  
"No! You coward! Come back and fight like a true demon!"  
  
"Kouga...Kouga...Kouga!...KOUGA, FOR GOD'S SAKE, SHUT UP!!!!!!!" Kagome was really mad now. This idiot claimed to be in love with her, yet he refused to even listen to her. But the scream had gotten his attention. He stared at her, eyes wide in surprise. She hadn't been this angry since she had told him off. "Look," she said, forcing calmness into her voice, breathing hard through her nose. "Inuyasha and I are in love with each other. Don't you want me to be happy with the man I love? There are plenty of pretty demons around who'd jump at the chance of being your mate. Why me?"  
  
Kouga snarled. "Of course I want you to be happy. That's why I won't let that puppy have you! You'll see reason, Kagome! You'll see that you are mine!" He raced away, laughing hysterically.  
  
Kagome stood stock still for a moment, blinking. She shook her head. "If he could get any more self-deluding..." She walked back toward the village, muttering about how stupid men could be. (A/N: yeah, girl power!)(A/N: yes, I am something of a feminist)  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
When she got back to Kaede's hut, she jumped at the sight of Inuyasha standing with his arms crossed, a suspicious look on his face, staring at his half brother, Sesshomaru. Kagome once again noted the small details that made him look so much like Inuyasha. "What's he doing here?"  
  
"Rin!"  
  
"Shippo!"  
  
The young fox demon ran toward the somewhat older human girl. Lacking the companionship of age mates, he settled for civil conversations with her when they met, which eventually blossomed into friendship. "Come on. I told you about Kohaku, right? Well, you can finally meet him now. Let's go."  
  
"Lord Sesshomaru, can I pleeeeaaaase go with Shippo?"  
  
Sesshomaru looked down at his charge. He couldn't help feeling a soft spot in his heart when he saw the innocent young girl. 'The child I'll never have,' he thought. "Alright. Go on."  
  
"Great! Let's go, Shippo!" The two raced off to an unused field.  
  
After a moment of watching the children in a moment of complete content, Kagome turned and warily appraised the demon lord of the West. "Well, what do you want?"  
  
"I would like to propose a truce," he said in his normal icy and emotionless voice.  
  
Miroku, standing behind Inuyasha, blinked, then stuck his finger in his ear. "Excuse me. I could have sworn that I just heard you say that you want a truce. I'm only twenty, and my hearing is already going."  
  
Kagome knew what he meant. Sesshomaru had always tried to kill Inuyasha before. "Why would you want to make peace with the one person you want to kill most?"  
  
Sesshomaru shrugged. Sango jerked up her head. Even a shrug was unusually emotional for this particular demon. "Rin cannot live like a traveler forever. She needs guidance from a woman. She needs a simple life. And I grow bored of chasing after you to get an old hunk of metal."  
  
Kagome just barely stopped herself from snorting. 'He just needs to balance his emotions with his pride.'  
  
Inuyasha's thoughts were similar. 'Who knew the ice king had a soft spot? He's probably tired of losing to me, anyway.' He smirked to himself.  
  
"These are my terms. I will no longer attack you or cause any of you harm in any fashion. In return, you watch over Rin, and educate her on human ways." Sesshomaru was growing impatient. 'It's bad enough that I reveal my one weakness to them. If they refuse, I'll have to leave Rin in some village again. I cannot let that happen.' "Well? Are we in accord?"  
  
After a quick glance around his group of friends, Inuyasha stepped forward. "Fine. We accept your terms." The two shook hands, letting go as soon as possible. The thought, 'Just because we are no longer enemies doesn't mean I have to like him,' flashed across their minds.  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
"Kohaku! Kohaku! C'mere, I want you to meet someone," Shippo called.  
  
Kohaku looked up. He had large brown eyes that always held a hint of sadness, the aftereffect of murdering his father and fellow villagers and injuring his sister. Of course, it hadn't been his fault, but the fault of Naraku, who possessed him shortly. But the guilt was still there. He had scraggly black hair in a short ponytail that never stayed in, and his face was spattered with freckles. He stood and ran toward them, running with the ease of one who was well trained in it. "Hey, I'm Kohaku, Sango's little brother. You're Rin, right?" 'She looks like Maho.' For a moment, he recalled Maho, his crush from the demon exterminators' village. "Nice to meet you."  
  
She grinned cheerfully, noticing the grief in his eyes. 'Wonder what he's thinking about...' "Yeah, I'm Rin. Are you really as fast a runner as Shippo says?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"All right then, I challenge you to a race. Traveling with Sesshomaru is great training for that kind of thing."  
  
Shippo piped up, "What's he like, anyhow? He has to be nicer to you than with Inuyasha, or else you'd be dead."  
  
"Oh, he'd never hurt me. He told me that I'm like a pup. I like to call him father when we're alone. And Jakken is like an uncle or something."  
  
"Yeah, I guess he'd have to be kind of...soft. Somehow." Kohaku thought, 'How could you not? She seems really sweet.'  
  
Shippo grinned at Kohaku. "So who would you like to call dad?"  
  
"I dunno. I think Miroku's pretty cool—"  
  
"WHAT?!?!?!?" Shippo and Rin were suddenly in his face, eyes wide.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not that part. I think it's cool how brave he was in the face of that curse, fighting to end it, ready to endure a horrible death in exchange for ending the curse. And to go around groping women while Sango's watching." All three chuckled.  
  
Shippo smiled. "Yeah. It's kind of hard to believe that he and Inuyasha used to hate each other. Now, they're like best friends. And Sango was practically afraid of him."  
  
"What about you Shippo?"  
  
He sighed. "Inuyasha. No matter how intolerant he is, he's still the closest thing I've got to my papa...not that I mind having him as a father figure. It just feels weird to want to call someone 'papa' when he's...not."  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
Sesshomaru said coolly, "I have business to attend to. I will leave Rin here for about a week." He nodded a polite farewell, then strode off to tell her. The four watched him say something to the young girl, and comfortingly squeeze her shoulder when she protested. 'That's so sweet,' Kagome thought.  
  
As if he had heard her, Sesshomaru straightened up and snapped an order to Jakken, his annoying little servant. She sighed as he walked off. 'I guess that kind of thing runs in the family.'  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
Yay! Done! Umm...lessee. If you didn't get it, Rin and Kohaku are "attracted" to each other. And the 'runs in the family thing' is referring to how both Inu and Sess are kind of shy of showing their emotions. Plus, don't expect to see Kouga much more. He might make one more appearance, but that'll probably be it.  
  
What else? I'll update as soon as I can, but things are gonna be a little insane for the few weeks. Y'know how teachers seem to think 'OMG, we haven't done enough this year!' at the end of the year and assign all these projects and do all of this cramming? Well I, like many others here, am a victim of this sudden evil change of mind. So it's not entirely my fault if I don't update in like...two weeks. I'm trying, alright? I will see you sometime soon though, cuz I have yet another songfic pretty much ready for posting. It'll probably be called Missing You. But until then, au revoir (AGH, EVIL FRENCH!!). 


	6. Another Little Snag

What Dreams Can do: Another Little Snag  
  
Hey, I just realized that I'm already about halfway through the story. Well, okay, I only realized that because I finished writing it about ten minutes ago. But seeing as I am the world's slowest typer, and that summer school starts in three days, I probably won't finish for a while. I'm gonna try being more reliable with updating now that school's over. And...I think that's it.  
  
Oh, if anyone's wondering, Kikyo is coming soon (hehe, sooner than you think). And say goodbye to Kouga, cuz I'm pretty sure he will not be appearing again. Ok, now I;m done. Go ahead and read (and review!!) your hearts out.

* * *

"Please, I really don't want you come."  
  
"Why? Unless you're planning to run off—"  
  
"Of course not! How could you think that? But still—"  
  
"So what's for me not to come?"  
  
Inuyasha frowned at Kagome. "Look, I don't want you getting hurt, okay?"  
  
She smiled. "That's so sweet! But really, Inuyasha, I'm a miko, too. Between both of us, I'm sure I'll be fine."  
  
"Kagome, please?"  
  
"No." She took his arm in a death grip. "I'm going. End of discussion."  
  
"Are all woman so bossy?" he asked crossly, letting her know she had won by beginning to walk forward.  
  
"All I can say is that I'm glad you don't know." She shifted her hand to take his.  
  
Inuyasha took the lead (as much of a lead one could take when the leader is holding hands with the follower), heading for the forest that had been named for him, specifically, the Goshinbuku (A/N: Goshinbiku? Goshinbuki?) tree. He glanced at the woman behind him and felt worry stab at him. 'Please, if any of you gods are listening, let her stay safe,' he silently pleaded.  
  
Kagome's heart suddenly sped up. She fought her body's "fight or flight" response that it had established whenever she sensed Kikyo's aura. The urge to run grew stronger when she saw Kikyo's silhouette in the Holy Tree's shade. And fighting it only became more difficult as she felt a spike of rage and hate, obviously emanating from her incarnation.  
  
Inuyasha could smell her fear, just as well as he could smell Kikyo's smoldering anger. He whispered dryly, "Do you think she's noticed us yet?"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes at him, trying not to grin. "No, I'm sure she just has had a long-suppressed hatred for squirrels or something," she retorted softly.  
  
Inuyasha was about to chuckle when he suddenly saw Kikyo coming toward him. The laughter died in his throat. 'It's odd that she looks so much like Kagome, yet they're so completely different in personality,' he thought. 'Wait. She looks like Kagome? When have I ever thought that before? Am I starting to think of Kikyo as the second version?'  
  
Kikyo, as though she heard Inuyasha's thoughts, narrowed her eyes. "What is that doing here?" she asked, jerking her head toward Kagome as she emphasized the word "that". "Did you bring her to witness our descent into hell?"  
  
Inuyasha sighed. He felt Kagome squeeze his hand, encouraging him, even as he felt her quivering anger at Kikyo's dismissal. "Kikyo, she won't be watching us go to hell. I'm not going to hell with you. You were an incredible woman when you were actually alive, but...you're not the same anymore. You're the copy now Kikyo. You were brought back with Kagome's soul. And I can't fall in love with a shade, only with something real. Kagome is real. And I love her."  
  
"You realize that you could kill her, so her entire soul could go to me," Kikyo said. She sounded like she was trying to purr persuasively, but she only succeeded in making her voice harsh and desperate-sounding.  
  
"No, I couldn't. I can't kill the woman I love. And trust me, if you try to, I won't hesitate to send you to the afterlife. Permanently." Inuyasha's voice was firm.  
  
Kikyo's eyes twitched, as if she was going to narrow them again, but she only sighed in what sounded like defeat. She fumbled with the knot in her belt, loosening it, removing something tucked inside, and tightening it again. She held her hand out to Inuyasha, offering him a pearl that looked like it was filled with black smoke.  
  
He stepped back. "What is it?" His instincts were clamoring for him to get away.  
  
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. It's just...a little gift between old lovers." Kikyo threw a hard look at Kagome.  
  
Kagome, catching something behind the glare, immediately knew something was wrong. 'She's planning something. But what? I can't find any clue to what it may be. Well, other than the fact that this so-called gift has something wrong about it.'  
  
"Go on, take it."  
  
Inuyasha hesitantly stretched out his hand. Kikyo slowly tipped hers, allowing the pearl to begin its fall toward his palm.  
  
'No! Whatever it is, there's something wrong with it.' "Inuyasha, don't touch it!"  
  
He jerked his hand back, demon reflexes letting the pearl to continue its fall to the ground. "What?"  
  
She pushed him aside, picking up a stick to examine it. "Oh my god," she said weakly. "No way. There is absolutely no way. He's dead. It's gone."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Kagome looked up at him, eyes frightened. "It's...it's the Shikon Jewel."  
  
"But the jewel disappeared..."  
  
"That's the least of our worries. She's bound his soul to it."  
  
"Whose soul?"  
  
"Naraku's."  
  
Inuyasha fell silent. Then, "That bastard won't leave us alone!"  
  
"Inuyasha, he's been bound. He doesn't have a choice, not that I think he minds. In this form, he can possess anyone with great power like yours. But not people like Kikyo or me. He can't possess anyone with spiritual powers. But, if he'd possessed you..." She shuddered.  
  
"But, Kikyo...she knew didn't she?"  
  
"No way that she couldn't have."  
  
"KIKYO!!" He spun to face her, but only found empty air. "What—" He was cut off by an arrow whizzing toward him.  
  
The miko stepped away from the tree, bow in hand and quiver strapped to her back. She watched coolly as the bolt passed through the space where Inuyasha's head had been a moment before. "You've gotten quicker since you've begun associating with that copy of mine. But it won't save you now. I'll kill you now, then deal with this pathetic child."  
  
Inuyasha glared at her. He was angrier than he had been since his mother had died. How dare she call Kagome a copy?! Yet at the same time, he felt a surge of pity for Kikyo. Life had never treated her very fairly, nor had death or resurrection. "I'd like to see you try."  
  
Another arrow flew out of nowhere. Kikyo spun around, dodging it just in time. She saw Kagome with a bow in hand. "You! Where did that come from?!"  
  
Kagome sneered at her. "What, Kikyo, haven't you ever heard of soul weapons? Kaede tells me that they were one of the few things that you couldn't master."  
  
'Soul weapons?!' Inuyasha was impressed. To control them was a sign of nearly absolute mastery over one's spiritual powers. And his Kagome had mastered them? 'Wait a minute. Where are the arrows?'  
  
Kagome was still talking to Kikyo. "If it's Inuyasha you want, you're going to have to kill me first. And you won't be getting past me, I assure you," she said coldly.  
  
Kikyo said nothing. All she did was aim her bow at Kagome's heart and let an arrow fly. Kagome pulled back the bowstring and released it. To Inuyasha's amazement, an arrow appeared on the string. It flew to intercept Kikyo's, completely shattering it and continuing to slice into the muscle of her upper left arm.  
  
She only bit her lip and continued firing, as Kagome dodged or let her arrows break them. Both women were gleaming with sweat, Kikyo from pain, Kagome from the effort of conjuring arrows made of pure energy.  
  
Kikyo suddenly cried out. One of Kagome's arrows had found its mark, and was now lodged in her heart. Clutching it, she collapsed. Kagome slowly lowered her arms, the bow evaporating like the arrows had once they had found a resting spot. She watched in grim fascination as lights began pouring out of her body.  
  
"They're souls," Inuyasha whispered.  
  
The brightest and biggest light flew toward Kagome and hovered in front of her for a moment. She reached out to touch it. As her fingers made contact, her eyes widened. She suddenly smiled gently. "Yes, of course I will," she murmured to it. Apparently she had agreed to some sort of final request, because the light immediately flowed into her to join the rest of her soul.  
  
Inuyasha walked toward her, nervously eyeing Kikyo's body as though it would suddenly spring to life again, in spite of the fact that it was crumbling to ash. "What was that all about?"  
  
Kagome looked up at him, surprising him with slightly tearful eyes. "She asked me to take care of you and keep you out of trouble. After all that, it would be an insult to how hard I worked to keep you if you up and died on me."  
  
She bent to pick up the Shikon Jewel. As she stood, Inuyasha could see her pale, sweaty face. She swayed as if she were dizzy. He gently picked her up. "You, love, are not going to walk anywhere. Are you alright?"  
  
She flapped a hand at him. "Of course. It's only exhaustion. Soul weapons are much harder to use when you're scared."  
  
"You were scared? I could barely tell. We're going back to Kaede's hut now. Okay?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Kagome?" He turned her head, only to see that she had fallen asleep. He smiled and kissed her forehead, then set out for the village.

* * *

"Child, ye really are strong. I never suspected ye'd be able to use soul weapons in a real battle so soon."  
  
Inuyasha looked sharply at a still sleepy Kagome. "How long ago did you learn to use them?"  
  
She yawned and shrugged. "A day or two."  
  
His eyes bugged out. "So soon?" he squeaked.  
  
She shrugged again, blushing.  
  
Inuyasha looked back at Kaede. "You're sure that she's only tired because of the weapons, right? No nasty side effects from picking up the Jewel?"  
  
Kaede sighed. "I've told ye before, her aura is completely pure, she hasn't been touched by Naraku's soul in any way. She'll be up and running with a bit more sleep."  
  
She took a modern iron kettle (a Christmas Gift from Kagome) off the fire as it began to whistle. Inuyasha flattened his ears against his head and said softly, "Ouch. Stupid kettle."  
  
Kaede ignored him and poured tea into three small teacups. She passed two to Inuyasha, who gave one to Kagome and sipped from the other.  
  
Kagome glanced at Kaede. "Well...?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"What about the Shikon Jewel? How do we purify it now? I doubt the whole wishing thing would work. I mean, knowing Naraku, we'd just get some kind of new nasty curse."  
  
Kaede sighed. "Yes. We do have to deal with it soon. If Naraku somehow breaks through..." She shivered.  
  
Inuyasha agreed with her completely. He knew his own strength well, and always fought to keep it under control. If Naraku had possessed him and unleashed all that power...no, he wouldn't think about it. "If only we could, you know, destroy him completely or somethi—"  
  
"That's it!" Kagome sat up from her straw pallet very quickly. "We'll nullify his soul!"  
  
Inuyasha stared at her. "And how do you propose we do that?"  
  
"Remember Midoriko, the priestess who sort of created the Jewel? She had a spell! If we can obtain it..."  
  
"I repeat my last statement," Inuyasha said sourly.  
  
Kagome blushed. "Haven't gotten that far yet."  
  
Kaede looked thoughtful. "That isn't a bad idea, Kagome..."  
  
"Not a bad idea?! The woman lived hundreds of years ago! And there's no record of the spell, she never told anyone! How are we supposed to get the stupid spell in the first place?!"  
  
Sango suddenly burst in. "I've finally finished all of the repairs to Hiraikotsu!" (A/N: I think it spelled right...) She was all smiles.  
  
Miroku popped up behind her. "Not without my help!"  
  
Sango snorted. "You call groping me every other moment and otherwise being annoying helpful?"  
  
Kagome was staring at Sango with an odd light in her eyes. "I think I have an idea."

* * *

And that is where it ends (for now). Umm...lessee, so Kikyo has been dealt with, so has Kouga (in a way, I guess) and...Kagome has been established as a very powerful miko! Yay! By the way, there's another chappie after this, I'm making up for the huge wait with two chappies! Don't you all just love me? 


	7. Trust is a Part of Love

What Dreams Can Do: Trust is a part of love  
  
Hey, I think I've said everything I want to say in the previous chappie...no wait a sec, there's something that's been in the back of my mind since about chappie two. Ahem. IT IS NOT KILALA!!!!!! IN THE MANGA, SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN REFERRED TO AS KIRARA!!!! (By the way, does anyone know Kirara's gender for sure?) Hope I didn't offend anyone...didn't mean to sound, well, mean.

* * *

"That's crazy! How can you even think that it'll work?!" Inuyasha was on his feet, glaring at Kagome.  
  
She rolled her eyes at him. "I don't really know if it'll work or not, okay? But isn't it worth a try? If you're so eager to get rid of him, I say you should try anything. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else. I know you're dying to do something, Inuyasha."  
  
She laid a hand on his arm. "Trust me. Naraku won't be able to break free on his own after only a week at most. He's still weak. Oh, and Sango's okay with it, right?" She glanced behind him, where Sango leaned against the wall.  
  
She shrugged. "Yeah, but I still don't get why it's so important to have my permission."  
  
"Because we're going to—"  
  
Inuyasha interrupted. "I still don't think it'll work," he said stubbornly.  
  
Kaede stood, rubbing her back. "It matters not whether ye think so. Ye'll still be going. Unless ye want to let her go without ye?"  
  
"Feh. Of course not." The thought of the one he loved going anywhere without him chilled him to the bone. What if something happened to her?  
  
"I thought not. Ye young ones had better get yer rest now. If ye want to get to where ye're going by afternoon, ye'll have to get up quite early. Now that ye have to walk." She looked sympathetically at Sango, who had stiffened at the memory of the loss of her firecat and exited the hut.  
  
Miroku patted her shoulder. "She's right. We'd better get some sleep." He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and pulled his straw pallet next to hers. "Good night, Sango. Good night, Inuyasha, Kagome."  
  
Kagome stretched before snuggling back into her covers. She blew Inuyasha a kiss as she pulled up a light blanket. As Inuyasha settled himself to sit against the wall, she propped herself back up on her elbow. "Are you comfortable like that, love?" She was quiet, trying not to disturb the already-asleep Sango and Miroku (already-asleep-and-snoring in the monk's case). "You sleep in that position every day. Well, every night."  
  
He looked down. "One gets used to it," he said softly.  
  
Kagome fully sat up, hearing an inexplicable sadness in his voice. "Well, why do you sleep like that? You obviously don't enjoy it."  
  
He stared at her for a moment, as if he were thinking, then stood and offered her a hand. "Walk with me?"  
  
Kagome took his hand as she said, "You sure? It's getting late."  
  
"I'm sure. It's important."  
  
They strolled into the moonlit night, still holding hands. Inuyasha was gazing out at the sleeping village, apparently spacing out. Without looking at her, he asked Kagome, "Did I ever tell you how my mother died?"  
  
"You only gave me the general idea." She was taken aback. 'What does that have to do with anything?'  
  
"When I was little, I loved my mother more than anything in the world. She was always there for me; to hold me when I cried; to treat my hurts, no matter how small; even to give me tips on self-defense when Sesshomaru's bullying would become unbearable. She was amazing...my guardian angel."  
  
Kagome squeezed his hand, not knowing what to say.  
  
"But when I got older, I got, I dunno, prideful, I guess. I'd push her away as I held back tears. I stifled my screams when I woke from nightmares. I even stopped running to her when Sesshomaru hurt me. You know how it is with little boys. I could see the hurt in her eyes, but also, a kind of relief. You know, when you're expecting something bad until it drives you crazy and you just want to get it over with, then it finally happens? It was like that." Inuyasha's voice was sad and held a hint of self-disgust.  
  
"Even then, she was always there. Whenever I cracked and went back to her, she'd welcome me back and treat me just the same as she used to. And at the same time, she played along with my new 'maturity', never pressing me to do all of those childish things." His voice broke.  
  
Kagome was startled. She stopped him and looked into his face. Just as his voice had betrayed, his eyes were shining. "Inuyasha..." She hugged him fiercely, not knowing what else to do, then went back to his side and continued walking.  
  
"One day, when Father was out, doing whatever demon lords do, patrolling his boundaries or something, Naraku came." His voice turned bitter. "I was asleep at the time. I'd guess he broke in around midnight. One moment, I was asleep, and the next, my mother was shaking me, whispering urgently in my ear to be quiet and listen to what she had to say."  
  
"I barely understood her. I was only aware of the stench of her fear. And that scared me. I mean, I'd never seen her truly terrified before. She was carrying a long pole that looked like it had been the staff of some kind of spear. Then, Naraku's henchman broke down my door. My mother immediately turned and began to fend them off, shouting for me to run. But I couldn't move."  
  
They stopped by a small pond, clear water glittering in the moon- and starlight. Kagome settled herself on a flat rock, while Inuyasha sat on the grass. "You know, you really don't have to tell me this. Not if it causes you so much pain," she murmured.  
  
"You don't have to listen," he retorted.  
  
"Nonsense! You're bleeding off the pain! It would be cruel to not listen to you! Besides, I love you. Why would I not listen?"  
  
"Well then, why would I not tell you?"  
  
Kagome sighed in defeat. "Good point. Go on."  
  
Inuyasha stared at the stars. "Mama was an excellent fencer. I remember so many times when I'd watch her fence with Father...once, she beat him six times in a row." He smiled briefly. "I really learned basic weapon handling from her. Father never spent much time with me. Anyway, she killed two of Naraku's thugs and was working on holding off three more when Naraku himself came. He shoved them all aside and took on Mama himself."  
  
His eyes flickered. He suddenly slammed the ground with tremendous force, leaving a hole a foot deep. Kagome jumped. "The bastard sliced her in two! I did nothing to help, just sat and stared like a helpless little idiot! I couldn't even move when she was ordering me to run! If only I had run, she may have lived!"  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"He wanted a hostage. He wanted control of the Western Lands, and he knew that Sesshomaru and Mama would have been too much of a challenge to kidnap and keep under control. So he decided on me. If she didn't have to protect me...after that, I lost it. I hurled myself at him, screaming...something. I don't remember. I really don't remember a lot, only the urge to hurt him as badly as I could. Then, I was running. I ran for a day and night, never stopping. When I finally collapsed out of pure exhaustion, I swore an oath to myself. I swore that I would never be caught like that again. I would never be unprepared for murderers in the night."  
  
His voice had gotten steadily louder, but now he whispered something that Kagome could just barely hear. "I would never allow another woman that I love to die."  
  
Kagome was frozen. 'He's bound himself to this since then? For his mother? Oh, Inuyasha...' A question suddenly popped into her mind, but she didn't dare voice it.  
  
Yet it seemed that Inuyasha could read minds, for he answered it anyway. "Fifty three years ago, I failed myself. Kikyo died because I was blinded by suspicion. I didn't trust her. And I had to start over. That's why I'm telling you this now. I can't let it happen again. I think the reason why I met Kikyo was to teach me a lesson on love. I don't want to make the same mistake, Kagome. Not when I love you so much."  
  
Kagome bit back a sob. "That's why you're always so alert at night?"  
  
"Yes, that's why. Kagome, I need to be able to trust you. Trust is a part of love, a vital part. I need you to trust me." He straightened so that his right knee was on the ground and his left knee was bent. He took her hand. "Can you do that? Can you trust me with your heart, your life, your soul? Because I can. I'm perfectly willing. I already do."  
  
She couldn't hold back anymore. Bursting into tears, Kagome flung herself into his arms. "Of course I can, Inuyasha," she whispered. "I've always trusted you with my life. Ever since the day I freed you from Kikyo's seal, my life had been yours."  
  
He smiled and buried his face in her hair. "I know it has. I love you more than you'll ever know, Kagome," he whispered. "More than you'll ever know."

* * *

Yay! Fluff, fluff, fluff, fluff, LOVELY FLUUUUUUFF, LO-VE-LY FLUFFFFFFF!! So there's a new chappie, with a new one coming as soon as I can manage it. Yes, you will find out about the masterful plan later, although it doesn't quite work out the way they expect it to. Things get a little...displaced in order, you might say. Anywho...um, not much else to say, I guess. Luv you all! Til next time, then!  
  
P.S. REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Yay, lucky...36. ;;;;; 


	8. Grief and Joy

What Dreams Can do: Mixed Emotions 

All right, this is going to be almost a complete rewrite. Seeing as I do not remember _any_ of what I originally wrote for this chapter. Can't you people send a little review or e-mail or something, informing me of my idiotic mistake! I mean, it's kind of hard to miss, isn't it? A random songfic in the middle of a chapter fic? I don't want to sound like I'm blaming you guys, I just wish you could have let me know when I still had it saved on my computer.

Anywho –takes deep breath- here goes. Into the abyss of 'trying to remember what you wrote two months ago'.

**_11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111_**

Kohaku stepped hesitantly behind the walls of the once-prosperous demon-slayers' village. He gave an involuntary gasp as his eyes took in the wreckage, darting from the charred walls to the crushed buildings to the double line of graves against the eastern wall. "Everyone?"

Sango bit her lip and squeezed his shoulder. "Not _every_one, Kohaku. We're still here."

The boy inhaled, his breath shaky, and lifted his shoulders. "I wish I could've helped you fight him."

"Who?"

"Naraku."

"Well, this is your chance little bro. We have to make sure that nothing happens to Kagome during this mission, so we can destroy him once and for all."

"Are you saying that I'm not enough to protect her?" Inuyasha's indignant voice rang out in the rather awkward silence inside the village. He came up from behind them.

"We have to make sure that nothing slips past you while you do the big job." She looked directly at him, knowing exactly what to say to drive her point home. "Remember what happened with the Thunder Brothers, Inuyasha. I know all about it."

His face took on a pinkish tinge, remembering how close Kagome had been to death that time. "Feh."

Miroku stepped up beside the half-demon. "Refresh my memory, Kagome," he remarked to the young woman beside him. "What are we doing here?"

She fiddled with the edge of her skirt as she said, "My plan was to get something that belonged to Midoriko, so we could take it to the well and hopefully travel to her time with it. Then, we could get the spell to destroy souls, and get rid of Naraku."

The monk nodded. "I suppose that would work. After all, it seems that a link with a certain point in time, like the Shikon Jewel, can influence the well to open paths to certain time periods."

"I just hope it works."

"Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"If this brilliant plan involves only Midoriko's remains and the old well…_why the hell did we come here?_"

Kagome sighed and nodded at the east wall. A single figure knelt before the graves they had dug such a long time ago. "Kohaku hasn't had a chance to say good bye yet," she said softly.

"Oh." Inuyasha's ears drooped slightly in contrition.

_**111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

Kohaku ignored the voices in the background as he prayed for the peaceful rest and, secretly, forgiveness of the deceased people of the village. 'All of you…because of Naraku…because of me, all of you died. If I had been able to resist Naraku, maybe…maybe we could have saved the village.'

'I just can't believe that you all are gone. The last time I saw any of you, you were all so confident, so content. You were living out your days, never knowing that you were about to be engaged in the most horrific battle of your lives. And when it came, you all fought so bravely, taking at least one demon down with you. But no matter how bravely any of you fought, you still died in the end. And it's all my fault.'

'I'm so sorry, everyone. I'll try to live up to the chance at life you helped give me. I'll make the most of it. Maybe I'll start a new demon slayers' village. At the very least, I'll make sure that I don't waste my life. I'll make your deaths worth it. I promise.'

**_1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111_**

The only sound in the moonbathed village was the crackling of the fire. All living beings were silent. Sango leaned against Miroku's shoulder, looking more tired than she had been since their final battle with Naraku. Her support comfortingly stroked the back of her hand, willing to just let her think through her own sadness.

Kohaku sat listlessly off to the side, a bowl of stew resting in his lap. He only remembered to eat when Shippo softly reminded him to. Kagome and Inuyasha sat together, unsure of what to say, not wanting to intrude on the mourners.

Kagome finally sighed and turned to whisper something in Inuyasha's ear. "Can you take Shippo somewhere for a little while? Kohaku needs to talk somebody, and Sango needs to as well."

His mouth twisted as he tried to come up with some kind of protest, but he found none. He finally shrugged and got up, thoughtfully extending a hand to help her up. In spite of the overall gloomy mood, she smiled at his chivalrous gesture and accepted his assistance. "Go on," she murmured.

He sighed and walked quietly over to Shippo. He laid a hand on the young demon's shoulder and whispered something in his ear. When the child protested in an equally soft voice, Inuyasha said something else and looked pointedly at Kagome. He pouted, but eventually gave in and left the campsite with the half-demon.

Kagome had her own business. She respectfully made her around the fire and tapped Miroku on the shoulder. "Miroku, can you go talk to Kohaku? I'd like a bit of 'girl time' with Sango." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully.

Miroku nodded and stood, squeezing Sango's shoulder, murmuring, "I'll be back."

Kagome took a seat. "Hey Sango."

"Hey," came the listless reply.

"What's on your mind?"

"…how could Naraku have done this? How could anyone's mind be twisted enough to want such bloodshed? All for a measly shard of the Jewel."

The girl from the future shook her head. "Sango, there's no way that that's the only thing you're upset about. That's plenty depressing to me, and you don't see me like this. And we both know that I'm _much_ more emotional than you are."

"Well…I guess I blame myself for this. I feel like if I had stayed behind, maybe the village would somehow have had a chance. Maybe all this killing wouldn't have had to happen. I mean, I know in my head that I'm probably wrong, but I still feel that way."

"Oh, Sango." Kagome hugged her friend around the shoulder. "I felt the same way when my dad died. He was driving…kind of a horse-less cart. Very fast, made of metal…" She sighed. "…loaded with a very flammable oil that makes it move on its own. I was ten at the time, and he went out to get something. He crashed into a tree. He was going so fast, it crushed the front of the cart. And the oil somehow caught fire. Before my dad could get out, the whole thing exploded."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah. I felt horrible. I felt like…if I had only gone with him, maybe I could've somehow protected him from death. I know now that I couldn't possibly have done that. But anyway, Sango, I know how you feel. You'll forgive yourself one day."

Sango smiled a bit. "I'm sure I will. Especially with Miroku at my side. He's such a wonderful man, Kagome. He knows when I need to talk to someone, when I need to cry it out, when I need to just be left alone. He _understands_ me. I never thought I'd meet a guy like him. All the boys in the village were so…I don't know, they just didn't realize that about me. They thought every girl needed to cry into a man's shoulders for the least little things. They never got it when I pushed them away. And now, they will never _have _a chance to get it."

Kagome looked down at her hand, slightly callused from the years she had been using the bow. "Yes. Once again, I know how you feel. I never thought Inuyasha was much of the understanding type. But somehow, he seems to identify with me. We seem utterly different so much of the time. But, underneath it all, we're really alike. And he knows it. That's one of the things I love about him."

Sango studied her friend for a moment before grinning slightly. "Y'know, you're right. You two _are_ kind of alike. You have explosive tempers. You're loyal to a fault. You're both emotional and stubborn."

"And we'd both die for each other. That I know."

**_111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111_**

"Hey Kohaku. Wanna talk?"

"Not in particular, but I get the feeling you want to."

Miroku grinned. "How'd you know?"

"That's the main reason a person would approach another, right?"

"You're smart, Kohaku. A really good thinker. And…" he continued, seeing the depression lurking behind the boy's expressive eyes. "…that's what's gotten you so down, isn't it?"

"I don't follow."

Miroku resisted the urge to snort. Young boys were so difficult. A small part of his mind reminded him that he had been much worse at Kohaku's age, but he haughtily ignored it. "Of course you do. You're thinking that if you had been strong enough to resist possession, the village would've been saved. If only you hadn't been so weak. If only you had fought against Nara—"

"Miroku, shut up!"

He immediately closed his mouth. It was Kohaku's turn totalk.

"Hearing myself think that is bad enough! I keep telling myself it isn't true, but I still feel it. And you aren't helping! Every day, I feel the souls of all the people I killed, closing in on me, until I can't breathe. They blame me, Miroku. And apparently, you do, too!"

Miroku sighed and pushed his bangs out of his face. Letting his staff fall, he crouched down in front of the boy. "Look, Kohaku. No, don't look away from me. I want your eyes on mine, your attention focused on me, until I'm done, understood?"

The teenager reluctantly turned to face him, his eyes radiating hurt and defiance.

"I. Don't. Blame. You," he said seriously, letting each word drop like a stone into a lake. "Got it? It wasn't your fault that all these people died, and they know it. The only one who seems to find fault with you is yourself. And that won't be bringing them back to life. Blaming yourself for an event you had no control over won't magically transport you back in time so you can fix your nonexistent mistake. It happened, it's over, you need to learn to live with it."

"But…I…"

"Yes, I know what you're going to say. First, you should have resisted Naraku. Well, I'm sure you could have if you had been endowed with spiritual powers like Kagome. Since you weren't, there was no way you could have held him off for more than a few seconds, especially since you were only 11. Second, you killed your father and the village's best slayers, then proceeded to give your sister a near fatal wound. Well, that wasn't you. And I'm sure they understand that. Sango forgave you for it long ago."

Kohaku's lip trembled. "But I _killed_ my father, Miroku! Don't you understand what a horrible experience that is?"

"And I watched my father implode. Kohaku, it wasn't your fault! I know how you feel, trust me. You feel pain, which is normal. It'll dull in time. You feel sadness, the most logical emotion to feel in a situation like yours. What is _not_ logical and _not_ worthy of your time is guilt. You were only a vessel, Kohaku. It wasn't you. Look at me!"

Miroku grabbed Kohaku's arms, shaking him gently. He held the boy's soft, hurting eyes with his own intense ones. "It's not your fault in any way, shape, or form. You don't need to feel guilty at all. Okay?"

The boy didn't answer, which Miroku expected of any teenage boy. But still, he had hoped…oh well, he would come around. He sighed and let go of him, moving to a seat at his side.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Miroku asked in a serious voice, "Kohaku?"

"What?" he replied listlessly.

"What do you think of Rin…?"

"What kind of question is _that_!" Kohaku almost squawked. Then, his eyes narrowed. "If you're thinking about cheating on Sango, with a little girl, no less…"

Miroku laughed. "No, no, no, that's not it at all. I am very much in love with your sister, and besides, I do have a sense of decency, no matter what you may have heard."

"Then why do you ask?" Kohaku asked suspiciously, studying Miroku's face.

The monk grinned evilly. "I want to know what you _think_ about her," he said, heavily emphasizing the word 'think' and embellishing it with a hearty wink.

The blood drained from Kohaku's face for a moment, then a made a swift, somewhat overzealous comeback, tinting his skin pink. "I…I…I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Miroku laughed. "If this is how you go about hiding crushes, you need to work on your acting skills."

The boy jumped up, obviously embarrassed, and muttered, "If you tell…"

"Don't worry, Kohaku. I won't tell anyone who doesn't already know," Miroku vowed, raising his right hand.

Kohaku arched an eyebrow, for a moment looking uncannily like his sister. "Who else knows?"

'Goodness, the boy can read me almost as well as Sango.' The man began reciting names, ticking them off on his fingers. "Well, let's see. Inuyasha's too thick to notice, Shippo is too young, Rin just doesn't realize it. I know, Sango knows, so do Kagome, Kaede, Sesshomaru—"

Kohaku paled. "S-_Sesshomaru _knows! Oh, I'm dead…" he moaned, collapsing to his knees.

"I'm not finished. Half of the villagers know, I imagine Kagome's family knows, old man Myoga, Hachi—"

"That's enough!" Kohaku growled, his face having returned to a lovely shade of rose.

**_111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111_**

"Inuyasha, why'd we have to leave?" Shippo whined.

The half-demon sighed. "Kagome has to talk to Sango, and she wanted Miroku to talk to Kohaku."

"But he could've—"

"_Alone_." He blew a lock of hair out of his eye and absentmindedly cracked a knuckle. "And you know how Kagome gets when people—"

"People meaning you…" Shippo interjected. About to say more, he was silenced as Inuyasha cracked three more knuckles in a far more threatening fashion.

"Like I was _saying_," Inuyasha continued, glaring at the little kitsune boy. "You know how Kagome gets when people don't listen to her."

"You've got that right," Shippo mocked. "Glad I don't have a rosary!"

Inuyasha glowered at him, shutting him up for the second time within ten seconds. "Oh, you don't have a _rosary_," he said dangerously. "But there are _other_ manners of punishing annoying little brats…"

"Okay, okay, I get it," the boy huffed.

After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha threw himself onto his back and settled his hands behind his head. He wriggled in the cool green grass before asking, "So what do you want to do until Kagome comes to get us?"

Shippo sat and pondered for a moment before his eyes lit up. "I got it! Tag!"

"…tag?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game is that?"

Shippo slapped his forehead. "You know, _tag_," he said through gritted teeth. "Tell you aren't so dense that you don't know what tag is."

He thoughtfully tapped his chin before the light of comprehension clicked on. "Oh, you mean that game you always play with Kohaku, where you run and tag each other?"

"Yes, Inuyasha, that's tag."

Amazing how the voice of a mere kid could make him feel so stupid.

"Alright then." In a single fluid motion, Inuyasha flipped to his feet and poked Shippo in the shoulder. "You're it!" At that, he set off at a light jog, which, for humans, was the equivalent of a sprint.

"Hey!" The younger boy jumped to his feet and started off after the other. Despite the age gap, with a little effort, he could keep up with the half-demon. "Now…" He stretched out an arm. "_You're_ it!" He tapped Inuyasha's ankle before swerving off in another direction.

"Not for long, squirt!" Inuyasha's change in direction was just as quick and agile as Shippo's, but he slowed a bit, letting up on the kitsune.

He turned and waggled his tongue at Inuyasha. At that, the pursuer put on a burst of speed that caught the pursued by surprise. He grabbed Shippo and both went tumbling, laughing until their bellies ached.

They flopped away from each other, staring up at the stars and trying to catch their breath. Shippo wiped his mirth-moistened eyes and sighed contentedly. "Hey, Inuyasha?"

"Eh?"

"What do you think the stars really are?"

"Well…" Inuyashaturned his head to theside to face Shippo, not listening to the part of him that urged him to ignore the child. "My mother always told me that they were the eyes of all the dead humans and demons, watching over us as we lived our lives."

For a moment, the carrot-top didn't respond. Then, "So are Papa and Mama up there?"

He shrugged. "Don't see why not."

"Well, then, they can see that I'm happy here, right? Do you think they mind that I'm happy while they're stuck up there?"

"If they did, I can't say they're very good parents. If they were, they wouldn't care if they were here or not. All that would matter is your happiness."

He nodded. "Makes sense." He yawned suddenly, then crawled to Inuyasha's side. "So…sleepy…" He let his head fall onto one red-clad shoulder.

"Eh? Wha—?"

Inuyasha grinned a bit self-consciously. "All right, brat. Go on and sleep. I'll wake you up when Kagome comes back."

As if in response, he heard Kagome's voice shouting, "Inuyashaaaaaaa! Shippoooo!"

"Kagome, shhhh!" He tried to pick himself off the ground without disturbing the little demon and waved his free arm at her. "He's _asleep_!"

She walked up and placed her hands on her hips, examining the unlikely scene. A smile lit up her face. "Glad to see you two are finally getting along," she whispered, letting the irony in her voice show.

He made a face at her. But before he could think of a smart reply, he heard Shippo shift and mutter, "Mm…'night, Papa."

At that, his face flushed slightly, although he wasn't sure if it was from pride or embarrassment. Chances were, it was both.

Kagome's smile made him forget his discomfiture as she sat beside him. "Why don'twe just let him sleep a while?" She lay down on the soft carpet of grass, settling her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I could use a nap, too." With that, she was out like a light.

He grinned. Odd as it seemed, he felt like the head of a family at that moment; a proud father with a wonderful partner.

As Inuyasha looked up, he could have sworn that the stars were winking at him.

_**11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111**_

Well, there you have it. From here on out, Dreams is _done_. If any of you are new readers, this chapter was replaced after I posted the last chapter.

Anyway, I know that the last line was definitely new. But hey, it seems to work, right? Right?

Poo.

Anyway, I'll see you (or read your reviews, nudge nudge wink wink) soon.


	9. Eternal War, Eternal Mates

What Dreams Can Do: Eternal War, Eternal Mates

Hi! This is the second-to-last chapter, and then I will have an epilogue. I'm so sad, no one reviewed Chapter 8. –cries- YOU'RE ALL SO MEAN!!!! Um, so I think that's everything. I might decide to start a new chapter fic, or should I finish Silver Linings first?

And now, let the story begin:

"Okay, everybody, let's go!"

Inuyasha stepped into the cave near the ruins of Sango's village. Kagome walked beside him, holding Shippo's hand. Behind them came Miroku and Kohaku, the latter being teased mercilessly. Sango walked in the very back, her hands tensed and ready to throw her boomerang bone at the slightest hint of danger.

"Oh, come _on_, Kohaku. Admit it, you like her."

"I do NOT!" The boy blushed. "Where did you get such a stupid idea?"

Miroku sighed. "From your bright red cheeks."

He immediately began slapping at them, trying to force them to turn their normal tan skin tone. "I'm just hot."

"Sure."

"Miroku, stop teasing him," Sango ordered, looking quickly over her shoulder to catch any sign of movement. 'No matter how old I get, or how many times I return,' she thought, 'I'll never feel as safe here as I did when I was younger. Who could, after a barbarian like Naraku turned their home into the scene of a blood bath?'

"Hey Inuyasha?" Kagome sped up a little as Shippo tried desperately to keep up. "Do you think this is going to work?"

He gave her an odd look. "Kagome, it was your idea."

"Well, yeah, but...what if it doesn't work? Then what?"

Inuyasha chuckled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Then we think up some other plan. Kagome, I have faith in you. Besides, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Don't worry. We have time."

She smiled at him, eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

He blushed lightly and looked away. "Hey, we're here!"

The others all halted before the mummified remains of the great priestess Midoriko, forever imprisoned at the end of the old cave. She was in the clutches of a hideous demon, a gaping hole in her chest where it had begun to suck out her soul. Before it could do so, she had taken the demon's soul within herself, then expelled it along with her own. The result of her sacrifice was the Shikon Jewel, where Naraku was trapped right now, along with the still battling souls of Midoriko and the demon that finally vanquished her.

Sango sighed painfully. Things like this were reminders of her life before she had heard of Naraku. Times when she had been content with her life as a demon exterminator. Times before she had immersed herself in other's troubles and revenge. Before she had fallen in love. She smiled at glanced at Miroku. She couldn't deny it. She would go through all that pain over and over again if it meant he would stay with her.

"So what do we do now?" Kohaku stared up at the old mummy, shuddering slightly as he always had. As a child, his friends had said that she would one day come to life and look for her lost soul, killing anything that got in her way. The story had haunted him ever since.

Miroku leaned toward the dead priestess. "We look for something to take to the old, dry well. Then, we should be able to pass through to her time and ask Midoriko for the spell to cancel souls, and we will finally be able to destroy Naraku once and for all."

Kagome walked up to the demon and studied the face of the man who had been devoured to create the monstrous demon. She sighed sadly. "It's just so horrible that both of them had to die in order for him to be with her. And their souls are constantly fighting each other, so he can't have any happiness."

"Who do you think he was anyway?" asked Shippo as he cocked his head.

"Hey guys, look! I think I found something we can use!" Sango waved them over to Midoriko's body. She pointed at a rotting belt around the woman's waist. A small pouch, well preserved compared to the rest of her, hung from it. "We can use something from there."

Miroku put his palms together and bowed before her. "Excuse me." He reached out and unhooked the bag. He first took out a small talisman made of pure gold. He whistled in admiration. "Wow. Kagome, can you feel how powerful this good luck charm is?"

Kagome held her hand over it. She yelped and pulled it back. "That's incredible!"

Sango studied it. "That must've been extremely expensive. She probably got it as a gift for her services to some wealthy lord. Do you think that will work?"

Kagome shrugged. "With all the spells they've got on it, who knows? Let's see if there's anything else we can use."

The next thing Miroku pulled out was a folded piece of parchment. He opened it and silently began to read it. His eyebrows flew up, then softened as if in pity. He wordlessly handed it to Kagome, who began to read it out loud.

"'My dearest love Midoriko. I wish there were a way to tell you how I feel about you, a way to write down the emotions that seize my heart when I see you, when I hear your name. But I have never been an artist with words. So I ask you to come in person, to listen to my passion and love for you. I beg you to give me a chance to win your love. Meet me at sunset tomorrow at the mouth of the Black Cave. I hope to see you there, with every ounce of my soul. A man madly in love with you, Mamoru.'"

She put down the letter, a wet feeling creeping into her eyes. "Mamoru. That must be the name of...of that man. Maybe that meeting he spoke of was when Midoriko died. Why would she carry it around like that if it were otherwise?"

Inuyasha put an arm around her and squeezed reassuringly. "Do you think we can use this?"

She studied it. "Well," she mused quietly. "I suppose all the emotion that went into it would give it a strong link to the past. Yes, let's use this."

Sango gave an inward sigh of relief. They could finally go home. Not the ruined exterminators' village, but a small hut in Kaede's village.

They all turned to go, Miroku bowing to the spectacle once more. Kagome slipped out of Inuyasha's grasp and looked at Midoriko. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you. And you, Mamoru." She turned to the last remains of the lovesick man, a face on the colossal belly. "You're a lot like Onigumo. I'm so sorry that you couldn't live in happiness."

She turned and walked away. Inuyasha stared at the face as he thought, 'She's right. Devoured by demons to win his love, but only managing to initiate an eternal war between their souls.' He turned to follow Kagome. He could smell her sadness and her tears. 'I'm a really lucky guy to have someone like Kagome.'

Kohaku looked back at the mummies. 'You know, you're not really that scary after all. It's just sad that you never really had the chance to be together. It's so wrong.'

And so, all six exited the cave, thinking his or her own thoughts. The half-demon was thinking, 'Mamoru. I don't really understand why, but I feel like I can identify with you. I'm so scared of losing Kagome, whether to another man or," –he shuddered- 'to death.' Inuyasha stared hard at Kagome before he sped up slightly to catch up with her. He grabbed her arm and said, "Hold it, Kagome."

"What is it?"

"I want to talk to you."

He drew her back and waited until everyone else was well out of human earshot, although he could hear them clearly. "Look, seeing that back there made me think. I thought that it was so sad that Mamoru and Midoriko couldn't have each other, even though Mamoru at least confessed his feelings. I really don't want that to happen to us Kagome. I don't want to lose you to anything or anyone. I want you to be mine and me to be yours forever."

She nodded, her eyes a bit confused. "Yes..."

"So I want to ask you...ugh, I don't really know a less abrupt way to say it." He suddenly drew her into a tight embrace, nuzzling her hair and breathing in her wonderful scent. "Kagome, I want you to be my mate."

She jerked in surprise. Then she laughed. "Oh Inuyasha, you fool."

'What?' He pulled back, searching her face. 'What does she mean? Does it mean she doesn't love me anymore?'

"Don't you realize that you didn't have to ask me? Yes, you have made it official, but in my heart, we have been mates for a very long time." She ran a finger along his cheek. "Sorry, did I scare you?"

Inuyasha smirked sheepishly and kissed her in answer. She melted into him as pure bliss quickly flooded her. She dimly heard Inuyasha say, his lips barely brushing against hers, "Then I, Inuyasha, take and accept you as my mate, my heart's companion for all eternity."

But through her euphoria, a sense of something not quite right tickled her senses. She reluctantly heaved herself back into the real world and pulled out of the kiss. "Sorry," she said as her mate growled in a hurt way. "But something out there doesn't feel right."

She turned and gasped. Wide, graceful ribbons of bluish light spiraled around them. As they spun, they seemed to grow wider, searing away the setting sun, the village, and the whole mountainside from their vision. She watched as the spaces between them slowly grew smaller, completely encasing her and Inuyasha in the sphere.

Speaking of Inuyasha, she felt his movements behind her back. His arms tensed as he clenched his fists to loosen up his claws. He shifted into a better fighting stance, ready to leap between Kagome and any danger they may end up facing.

Shippo and Kohaku, who had been sent out to see why the couple was taking so long, gaped as the light slowly formed a cocoon around them, until it seemed to only be a large ball of light. (AN: Oh, yeah. ONLY!) It suddenly flared to an intensity that all but blinded them. But even with their temporarily impaired vision, they could easily see that Inuyasha and Kagome had disappeared.

To be continued... (they took away my colons!)

ARGH!!!!! My brother just deleted at least half of this chapter, and I hadn't saved it yet, so I had to retype it! And this isn't nearly as good as what I had written before. Anyhow, it's longer than I expected, even though I cut out a third of the handwritten draft. So...what else? -thoughtfully munches on cookie- Well, I have a story idea about Kagome finding out that Kikyo is her great-great-great-great-etc. grandmother. It's a peculiar idea, but I like how the planning is going. Plus, I've thrown in a mini-prophecy, via Kikyo (as much as I dislike her, it just made the most sense in the storyline for her to be the mouthpiece of the gods or whatever). So let me know what you think. And –starts coughing- please (review!) have (review!) a very nice (review!) day! (reviewreviewreview!!)


	10. Solution

What Dreams Can Do: Solution

Hellooooooooooo!!! This is probably the last chapter with any shadow of plot in it. The next one will almost definitely be an epilogue-ish thing that takes place about an hour after this ends. Yeah. So, here we go!

* * *

"What happened?" Kagome whispered. Inuyasha had an arm around her, protectively hugging her against his chest. "Where are we?"

They stood at the mouth of what looked like the same cave, viewing what looked like the same sunset, but something wasn't right. The colors in the sky were very different, more red and orange than the purple sunset that Kagome had seen briefly before the light had enveloped them. The forest below them was also different, in an indiscernible way. But the biggest difference was...

"Kagome!" Inuyasha said in an alarmed voice. "Where's the village?"

Of course! It had disappeared. "Can you smell our friends?"

"No, they just disappeared. I can't even find the traces they left as they were walking back down. It's like they never even existed."

She turned to scrutinize the cave. Her eyes widened. "Inuyasha!"

"What?" He swung around, hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

"I can see the back of the cave, like it's gotten smaller or something. And...the mummy isn't there anymore!"

"You're right! There's something really weird going on." His ears flicked toward the left. He spun to face whatever he had heard and snapped, "Get behind me!"

He shoved her behind him and drew Tetsusaiga. "You're not getting past me," he growled.

Someone murmured a spell, and a snake of bluish light whipped toward him. "Whoa!!" He grabbed Kagome and dodged. "What the hell?"

"Inuyasha, stop," his mate whispered. "You're challenging a priestess. You can't win. Let me do it." He looked down at her determined eyes and relented, stepping away from her.

Kagome took a deep breath. It was her turn to protect Inuyasha. "Who are you? Come out and fight me like an _honorable _priestess!"

Movement in the trees. A woman stepped out from the foliage, a bow held loosely in one hand. It was obviously meant to be a warning, the armor that she wore only adding to the image of someone well-used to combat. She eyed them carefully with grayish-brown orbs. "What are a human and half-demon doing together is such a place? How is it that I didn't sense you at all, when I have not left this area for the past day?" Her gaze lingered on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha growled. "Do you have a _problem_ with my parentage, wench? I can prove very well how superior mixed blood can be."

The priestess' hair long black hair swung slightly as she settled her weight on one foot, holding one hand in front of her. Her eyes were narrowed. "Just try it."

"HOLD IT!" Kagome swung around to glare at Inuyasha. "I just told you to let me handle this, Inuyasha!"

"But she's openly insulting me! Did you see the way she looked at me?!"

"Just cool it, okay?"

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then you can just SIT and wait for me to finish up!" Kagome turned away from her currently prone mate and appraised the strange woman. She was surprised to see slight crinkles around her eyes. Was she trying to keep from smiling?

"Look, we don't mean any harm, although if you do, I am perfectly willing to fight. We're just looking for the priestess Midoriko. We need her help." She gazed at the woman levelly. "Can you tell me where to find her?"

'There are those crinkles again. Why does she find me so amusing?'

"I am she whom you seek."

'Oh.' "...okay, that's one less thing on our list of what we need to do," she said, trying to cover the slight awkwardness. Inuyasha snorted slightly as he stood once again. She whipped around to give him burning glare before turning her attention back on the priestess. Why did she fall in love with someone so...so Inuyasha-ish?

"And what would you request of me? Make it quick. I have...other matters to attend to." She glanced at the sun, whose bottom half was already concealed by the mountains.

"There's this demon, and we killed him, but his soul was trapped in...a magical artifact. So we need your spell to nullify souls."

"And why is it that you need the spell, when it would be far simpler to ask my assistance?"

Kagome sighed. She glanced at Inuyasha. Should she tell her? The half-demon's head twitched infinitesimally to the side, warning her against giving Midoriko the whole truth. She responded with the barest tuck of her chin, signaling that she understood and agreed. She turned back to the priestess and said a bit haltingly, "You cannot come to our home. It...just can't happen. So we need the spell, because it's important for us to get rid of this demon before his soul gathers enough strength to break free of his bond. He's the foulest creature that could ever walk the earth."

The woman cocked her head skeptically, but said nothing for a long time. Inuyasha finally cut into the uncomfortable silence. "Look, this is a matter of the world's future. If he breaks free, we're all doomed. We were lucky we knew what form to find him in when we fought him. If he's given the power to possess people...."

"Then we're all doomed." Kagome concluded for him.

Midoriko glanced at the sun again and sighed. "All right. Gods forgive me if this causes any harm to our world's destiny. You, priestess. What's your name?"

"Kagome."

"Kagome. Come here please." She pointed to a spot about two feet in front of herself. When the girl hesitated, the corners of her mouth twitched upwards. "I won't bite. Come, child, I have other things to take care of."

She stepped hesitantly forward. Nothing could happen, right?

Midoriko stretched out her hands. "Put your hands against mine," she instructed.

Kagome complied, pressing her palms into the woman's, not sure what to think.

"Now, concentrate on your cause. Focus on learning this spell that you require. I'll...send it to you, for lack of better words. If you really are a priestess, which is very likely, although you can never know in these times, you will receive an image of my last performance of the spell."

Kagome nodded and instinctively closed her eyes. Midoriko followed suit, the muscles in her arms tensing slightly. Inuyasha could only watch as a calm blue light rippled down the woman's arms and wrapped itself around Kagome's, forming a mist that seemed to dissipate like steam.

When Midoriko pulled away, Kagome's eyes snapped open. "So that's how you do it!"

Midoriko nodded and smiled. She glanced once again at the sun. "Now leave me, please. I have other matters to attend to. Private ones. I hope we meet again."

Kagome smiled and nodded in farewell. She turned to Inuyasha, then her face fell. "Um, Inuyasha?"

"What?" he asked in concern.

"How do we get back?"

"...Shit."

She stared into the cave. Now what? How could they use the spell if they couldn't even return to the Feudal Era? She was slowly working herself into a state of panic, when something at the back of her mind tingled unpleasantly.

"You sense it as well." Midoriko hadn't moved, her face calmly facing the wind as she closed her eyes against the glare of the sun. "There's a powerful demon here. One that I have never fought before."

Inuyasha sniffed the air and gave a start. Why was that smell so familiar? He met Kagome's eyes, and something passed between them. Then he understood. It was the same scent as the one of the mummy in the back of the cave. Was this _the_ demon that was trapped inside the Shikon Jewel?

Kagome stared in the direction of the powerful aura, when it hit her like a ton of bricks. So this was how Midoriko had died. On the day she and the man who loved her were to meet, he was transformed into a demon, destined to kill her. "Oh gods," she whispered. "That's horrible."

Inuyasha reached for her, intending to pull her behind him. She brushed off his hand and whispered, "I know what you're thinking, Inuyasha. You want to help her fight."

He was startled by the accusatory tone of her voice. "So?"

She swung around to face him, casting a quick glance at the other priestess. "You _can't_!"

"What are you talking about?! Do you _want_ to let her die?"

"Of course I don't _want_ to, but we _have_ to."

"What do you mean by that? Who's forcing us?"

"Inuyasha, don't you get it? If we kill this demon, the Shikon Jewel will never be formed, and we will never meet! For all we know, neither of us will even be born!"

He was silent.

"Do you understand?"

He bit his lip, an anxious gesture that she had only seen on very rare occasions. "Kagome...are you sure?"

She nodded sadly. "I'm afraid I am. Inuyasha, I know this goes totally against your nature. It really bothers me, too. But we have to do this. We can't change the future so drastically. What we are meant to do here, at least back home, has already happened. And what happened is that Midoriko fought alone, and it ended in a draw. We can't affect that."

Shaking his head, he stared at the back of the woman's head. "It's so complicated. I agree with you, but we have to get out of here fast if you expect me to listen to you."

"I'm quoting you when I say, 'and how do you propose we do that?'"

"Well...the whole light thing started when I formally accepted you as my mate...I _have_ heard that the mating ceremony can have tremendous power..." He grinned at her. "I don't recall hearing you say anything about that, though."

She grinned back, a little mischievously. "Alright then, if that's how you want it." She glanced back at Midoriko, suddenly wondering if she had overheard them. "Thank you," she called out.

The woman didn't answer. Kagome finally shrugged and turned to Inuyasha. She leaned toward him, suddenly flirtatious, rubbing his ears. A soft rumble escaped his chest, and he glared at her halfheartedly. "You know that embarrasses me."

"But you still like it." Without allowing him to answer her, she gave him a peck on the lips and whispered, "I, Kagome Higurashi, accept you as my mate, father of my children and eternal companion to my soul." She wasn't sure where the words came from, but she felt intense power radiating from the sound of them.

They were faintly aware of the light that once again spun around them, barely taking note of Midoriko's surprised glance. Their main focus was each other, as they remained staring into the other's eyes, not even noticing when they abruptly returned to the Feudal Era.

At least, they didn't notice until Sango cried out. "Kagome! Are you okay?"

Both blinked and blushed slightly. Kagome turned and was surprised to see her friends, the village, the once again purple sunset. "So it _did_ work," she murmured, glancing at Inuyasha.

"Told ya," he said cockily.

"Kagome, what _happened_? Shippo and Kohaku were going to get you, and they came running back, screaming that you were _gone_, so we ran up here, but there was no _trace_ of you two, and then, you just _appeared_ out of thin air—"

"Sango, breathe!" said three alarmed voices, belonging to Kagome, Miroku, and Kohaku. Kagome continued. "We're fine, don't worry. We somehow got to Midoriko's time, and we have the spell!"

"Oh, really?" Sango's face slowly reverted from flushed red to its normal tan as she took deep breaths. "That's all right, then."

Miroku patted her back, eyes concerned. "Are you okay Sango? You know, she was getting hysterical before you reappeared," he remarked to the mated pair.

"I can take care of my mate perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much," Inuyasha said irritably, not realizing what he had let slip until he saw it reflected in four huge pairs of eyes. "Whoops."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Sango shrieked shrilly, launching herself at her friend. "THAT'S _WONDERFUL_!!!!! WHEN DID IT HAPPEN????"

Miroku and Inuyasha managed to pry her off of the slowly suffocating girl so she could answer. "Inuyasha pulled me aside right after we left the cave."

"Aw, how romantic," Miroku remarked to Inuyasha.

"Oh keep it shut," he grumbled, face bright red.

The monk's eyes had an evil glint in them. 'Oh, I am going to have so much fun with this...'

* * *

Okay, I decided to just end it there. I wasn't sure how to segway (AN: is that how you spell it?) (AN: why'm I using "AN"?! This whole section _is_ an author's note!) into the purification process, so I'll just make that part of the next chapter. Which is probably no longer an epilogue. Just...the last chapter. Who knows when I'll post it? -.-;;; Oh well.

_**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING!!!**_

Can someone tell me which story I should do next? Kikyo-is-Kagome's-ancestor-so-she-thinks-loving-Inuyasha-is-incest? Or Kagome-is-Kikyo's-reincarnation-Inuyasha-is-Sesshomaru's-then-Kikyo-was-betrayed-by-Sess-and-her-soul-wants-to-get-revenge?

I personally prefer the first (I already have four or five chapters longhand...I get bored in class, okay?!). I have a better idea of the plot. Actually, I already know how it's going to progress and end. Just not how I'm gonna write it. The second is just an idea I had randomly floating in my head. Like "How Many Silver Linings in a Thunderstorm?" was. Except I like Silver Linings better. And the plot is definitely coming along.

So let me know in the only way possible, because I prefer not to get it via e-mail. Review!! Maybe I'll update faster, too...

You know what really bugs me? Authors who set review quotas, like four reviews this chapter, or no update for a month. That, in my opinion, is stupid. I'm not like that. Reviews are only a crutch for my self-esteem and confidence in my writing. Yeah...ONLY!!!

I'm hungry...

...and tired...

...and I have a lot of homework...

...and I'm thirsty...

...and I'm rambling.

...Feh.

Inuyasha: Hey, that's _my_ word!

Me: Feh! Feh! Fehfehfeh! Feh-fetty, feh-fetty, feh feh FEH!! 0;P

Inu cast: -rolls eyes-

Me: Goodbye! TTFN!


	11. Dreams Come True

What Dreams Can Do: Dreams Come True

Well...here we are...the last chapter...

You know, I'm kind of glad this story's almost over...I want to focus more on Silver Linings and BTBL. Well then, enjoy!

* * *

Kagome frowned at the black pearl in her hand, rolling it around her palm, contemplating her predicament. 

The spell that Midoriko had shown her was fairly simple; the main issue was the level of energy it required. When she described the process to Kaede, the old woman had promptly ushered her into the hut, forbidding her to do anything that required more effort than preparing meals. "Ye need all of that energy, Kagome," the priestess had advised when Kagome protested.

She sighed. No arguing with that. Her stores of magic were at an all-time high, thanks to both her practice over the time she had spent in the Feudal Era, which strengthened her in the long run, and the amount of rest she had been getting for the past day or so. But still, whenever Kaede examined her magic, she never saw enough for her to perform the spell without dangerously depleting her life-force.

And yet, Miroku was already unable to enter the hut. Only that morning, he had come in, and immediately rushed out of the hut, unable to stand her powerful aura.

'Honestly,' Kagome thought sulkily. 'How much power does this spell need?'

But the biggerst problem, far from her boring imprisonment, was what to do with the Jewel. She had two options in cleansing it, both with their ups and downs. She could force Naraku out of the Jewel and purify only his soul, leaving the Jewel free for wishing upon. But then she ran the risk of his escaping and possessing someone. But if she left him inside the Jewel, she would have to purify both at once, requiring much more energy and leaving Inuyasha in his often-scorned half-demon form.

"What to do, what to do?" she muttered.

"About what?"

She looked up and smiled at the owner of the gruff voice. "About the Jewel, Inuyasha. I can't decide what to do." She explained the situation to him.

He frowned at the black stone, before grasping Kagome's empty hand in his. "Kagome, I gave up on that wish a long time ago," he said firmly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…ever since the Peach Man, I've seen that I can't protect you the way I want to in my human form. And my transformations into demon form have made me positive that that wish is stupid. I'm fine in this form. Fluffy ears, new moons, all of that." He absentmindedly traced a circle on the back of her hand, holding her eyes with his.

Through the tumult of emotions that his intense gaze had put her in, she smiled nervously. "Are you sure?"

He smiled. "Of course I'm sure." He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose in a teasing gesture. "If I changed my mind, I'd be too worried about looking like a hypocrite to say anything, anyway," he said. Kagome wasn't sure if his voice was more serious or jovial.

Either way… "Thanks, love," she said. "You just saved me a lot of trouble."

"That's what I'm here for…mate." He whispered the last word, and both of them felt a tingle up their spines. Such a wonderful word…

* * *

"Kaede, I don't understand why I have to dress like this…it's just a purification ritual, after all. Why do I have to..." Kagome plucked at the mikos' traditional white and red costume. She winced as Kaede pulled a wooden comb through her easily tangled hair. 

"Because, child, this is such a momentous event!" said the old woman in an incredulous voice. She continued as she painstakingly tied up Kagome's hair in a white ribbon, allowing the customary locks to fall to frame her face and drape over her shoulders. "Ye are on the brink of finally vanquishing Naraku, the cause of immeasurable suffering for all o' ye. What's not to dress up for?"

"Yeah, but…this getup…" Kagome frowned as she fingered the hem of one wide white sleeve. The only other time she had dressed like this, Inuyasha had momentarily mistaken her for Kikyo. If he did that again…

Abruptly, her heart twisted. If he really did that again, she didn't know what she'd do.

Kaede laid a hand on her shoulder, rousing Kagome out of her brief wallow in doubt. "Don't worry about Inuyasha, dear. He loves ye with all his heart and soul. Ye don't need to doubt his devotion for a second."

The girl smiled wryly. "You're right, Kaede. I don't know what I got so worked up about."

In response, Kaede patted Kagome's back. "Yer all set. Are ye ready? Remember the incantation?"

"Yup!" Kagome smiled brightly, hiding the sudden swarm of butterflies that had appeared in her stomach and heart.

"Then come." The old woman stepped out of the hut, holding back the reed curtain for Kagome.

The girl followed, greedily inhaling the fresh air, free of the smoky odor of dead fires, as if she had just been drowning. She stretched, suddenly feeling free and unconfined, despite the large amount of space that had been available inside Kaede's hut.

"Kagome!" Shippo waved to her, only momentarily distracted from the spirited rock-paper-scissors tournament taking place between Kohaku and Rin. All three were comfortably tucked away from the sun's glare in the shade of Kaede's hut.

"Hello Kagome," Sango greeted, running over from the foot of a large hill. She was smiling broadly, albeit a bit nervously. "You ready?"

She squared her shoulders. "Ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

"Kagome!" She looked up to see Miroku, quite a bit of a distance away from her, cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting in greeting. "How are you?"

"Fine!" she shouted back, then chuckled and shook her head. "What a weakling, deterred by a little old aura like mine."

Sango chuckled in return. "I don't know, Kagome. Standing right here, I can feel the air tingling. For a spiritual zero like me to feel that, you've got to be pretty powerful."

"Yeah, I can't wait to get rid of all this energy. I feel…itchy. You know? Like I've got to let it out. Very uncomfortable."

"I know how you feel. I get that way when I don't exercise for a long time. I need to get moving. Anyway, looks like Kaede's ready for you! Got the Jewel?"

Kagome pointed to Kaede at the top of the hill. "She's got it, and I've…oh!" Kagome frantically ran a hand around her waist. "Shoot, where's the knife!"

Sango's eyebrows shot up in alarm. "_Knife_? Why the hell do you need a knife for a purifying spell?"

The young woman was ignored as Kagome shouted, "Kaede, I can't find the sacrificial knife!"

"_Sacrificial_!" Inuyasha appeared out of nowhere and stared intently at Kagome. She got the feeling that he would have grabbed her by the shoulders, were it not for the fact that her aura was too strong for his demon half to tolerate for very long. "Why do you need a sacrificial knife? What's going on?"

"Inuyasha, relax!" Kagome absentmindedly trudged past him, breathing a sigh of relief when Kaede waved a sheathed dagger. "Phew. The spell wouldn't work without that."

The half-demon relaxed slightly. Maybe the knife was supposed to be some kind of offering. How that would work, he didn't know, but at least Kagome wasn't in danger.

Hopefully…

Kagome reached the top of the hill, panting slightly. "That's some climb. Ready, Kaede?"

The old woman nodded, and carefully handed the Jewel to Kagome.

Kagome took a deep breath and picked up the pearl. For a long moment, she frowned at the Jewel, then closed her eyes intently. Her lips moved as she seemed to sing along with some silent song that only she could hear. Finally, her eyes opened.

Inuyasha instinctively shrank back. Yes, those were still Kagome's eyes, but the power radiating from her gaze seemed to attack his demonic aura from all sides.

Fortunately for him, her gaze didn't stay trained on him. After a wan smile, she focused on the Jewel. Slowly, then gaining speed and confidence, Kagome began to chant. "Son of thunder, spawn of night. Falling shadows, blurring sight. Follow the sunlight, climb to the sky. Leave us behind; lost soul, purify!"

As she started the chant over, an growing breeze whipped through the grass. Soon, her companions were struggling to stand as Kagome lifted the Jewel above her head.

Abruptly, the wind stopped. Inuyasha could once again hear Kagome's voice with the gale gone. "Follow the sunli— shoot. I was afraid it would come to this." She resumed her chant, stretching a hand out to Kaede and beckoning. Without a word, the old woman placed the knife in her hand.

Kagome closed her eyes as the breeze started up again. She lowered the hand that cupped the Jewel, and, much to the astonishment of the onlookers, it stayed in the air, hovering above her head like a murderous black hummingbird. Biting her lip, Kagome raised the knife and sliced open the flesh on her left palm. Wincing, she transferred the knife and slashed open the right hand palm as well. She then dropped the knife and raised her hands up in the air.

The rising gale whipped at her hair and clothes, snatching up drops of blood. Each red fleck gleamed with an inner fire, like so many hot coals whirling above the priestess's head. As the dots began to spin around the floating Shikon Jewel, Kagome's chant grew louder. "Son of thunder! Spawn of night! Falling shadows! Blurring sight! FOLLOW THE SUNLIGHT! CLIMB TO THE SKY! LEAVE US BEHIND! LOST SOUL, _PURIFY_!"

At the last word, the drops of blood converged on the hovering pearl. As they moved to completely coat it in blood, an inhuman shriek split the air. Everyone fell to the ground, covering their ears. Inuyasha growled, his sensitive ears in agony. Rin actually hid behind Kohaku, fearfully pressing her face into his back.

Only Kagome seemed unaffected by the scream, although if one looked closely, she was biting her lip to keep from losing her composure, which worked. Despite the wince evident in her eyes and the miniscule drops of blood that beaded up on her cut lip, she reached up and grabbed the wailing Jewel from the air, blood and all.

She held it up and smiled. "Follow the sunlight, climb to the sky. Leave us behind; lost soul, purify," she whispered, then blew on it. As if were only a clump of flour, the Jewel disintegrated.

For a few moments, all was silent. The wind died down, and Kagome's companions carefully raised their heads to see if the threat to their eardrums was gone.

Finally, Inuyasha came to his senses and raced up the hill to his suddenly reeling mate. "Kagome! Kagome, are you okay?" He touched her gingerly and winced as residual energy halfheartedly attacked him.

Kagome stared at the victimized hand and murmured, "That's enough." The prickling sensation ceased.

"Kagome, you did it!" Inuyasha swept her into an exuberant, but gentle, hug. "You really did it! Both cursed things are gone forever!"

Kagome smiled blearily at him. "Wonderful. Wake me for the party," she said in a hoarse voice, slurred with exhaustion. With that, she let her head flop onto his shoulder and fell asleep.

Inuyasha was startled, but then smiled. "No, I can't do that. You deserve a long rest, after the work you did here today," he murmured, shifting his grip on her until he could carry her back into the hut.

* * *

A single raven-haired woman struggled to lift a blue suitcase out of a dilapidated old well. When it came free of the splinter that had held it in place for so long, she dropped it on the ground and sat on the edge of the well. "Phew." She wiped her forehead. "Glad I'm back." 

"And I am, too." Before she could turn, a pair of hands encircled her head and covered her eyes. "Guess who?"

She giggled. Those callused palms were way too familiar. "Hm…could it be Kohaku?" she asked playfully.

"Nope! Guess again!" the gruff voice said in jest.

She tapped her chin. "Perhaps it's Miroku?"

"Uh-uh!"

She chuckled. "All right, Shippo, what do you want?"

The carrot-topped young man behind her laughed and uncovered her eyes. "I smelled chocolate," he admitted.

"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to beg some off of Taro or Rakuan later. That Yuki boy will probably convince Kira to share only with him. Again. So shoo! And don't try the puppy eyes on me, mister!"

"Aw, Kagome, you're no fun!" he whined, blinking away the innocent, pitiable and slightly teary expression he had put on his face. With a quick wave, he ran off to the village, prepared to exactly follow Kagome's orders.

Suddenly, the bushes in the surrounding forest rustled. Kagome whipped around, her senses tingling. "A demon aura…" she whispered. She quickly conjured blue fire into her hands, then stalked into the trees. When she caught a glimpse of white fur, she hurled a handful of flame at the intruder. A howl instantly informed her that she had hit her target.

She burst through the bushes separating her and the source of the continued moans, and found a male half-demon in his prime. He was rolling on the ground as her fire assaulted his stomach, protected by a red haori and hakama. His silver hair flopped over the ground as his white ears twitched madly.

Kagome smirked sadistically. "Thought you could get away, did you?" she asked over his yowls. Without waiting for an answer, she sent more fire to attack him, this time centering on his neck. "Really, Inuyasha, when will you ever learn?" With each word she spoke, she shot a dart of flame at him. "You. Can't. Hide. Forever."

He gasped, twitching away as each bolt struck. "Okay, I surrender! Do what you will to me, wench."

Her smirk widened as she called back the flames that had been assailing him. She knelt at his side and ran a finger along his neck. He shuddered, begging with his eyes for the torture to stop. Finally, she tugged one of his ears and stood. "Who ever knew…"

"Knew what?" he growled, cautiously propping himself up on an elbow.

"That you're ticklish of course!" Kagome answered. No longer able to keep her threatening face on, she giggled.

"Oh, shut up," he grumbled. He nimbly pushed himself off the ground and enclosed her in a hug, gently rubbing her back. "You went kind of hard on me today. Did you miss me that much?"

"Mm, you have no idea," she murmured, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. "How were the kids?"

"Oy!" He pulled back slightly, his welcoming voice suddenly frustrated."The older they get, the rowdier! Did you know Kira almost kissed Yuki!" A possessive flame came to life in his golden eyes.

"Really?" Kagome murmured, struggling to hide her amusement. Kira, her middle child with hair like snow, had always been the apple of her father's eye. Unfortunately, she liked boys a bit too much. At the age of seven, she had already decided who she wanted to marry, which amused her to no end. "How's her archery doing?"

The angry flame died and gave rise to an elated sparkle. "She almost got the bull's eye!"

"Wonderful!" Kagome briefly rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. "And has Rakuan lost anymore teeth?"

"Yup! He finally lost his baby canines, so he can grow real fangs now!" he boasted.

She chuckled and tapped his nose. "Just like his big, strong, ticklish father, right?"

"Kagome…I'm warning you…one word about that to the kids…" he growled.

She giggled. "And what will you do? 'Wench' me to death?"

"No…I'll tell them that _you're_ even more ticklish than _me_!" That said, he wiggled his fingers against her side.

She gasped and pulled away, mock horror in her eyes. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, believe me, love, I would." He stalked toward her, hands raised and ready for the attack.

"Not if I get to you first!" Laughing, she launched herself at him, effectively beginning a tickle war. She crowed with victory when she got to his sensitive spots, then flinched and giggled when he got to hers. For nearly half and hour, they tussled, simply having fun in the shade of the trees.

Finally, they flopped onto their backs, exhausted and tickled out. Kagome sighed and shifted until her head rested on Inuyasha's stomach. He took her hand and began tracing circles on her palm, sending shivers of delight up her arm.

She suddenly smiled and rolled over to face her mate. "Who ever would have guessed that we'd end up like this? Happy mates…"

"Wonderful children…" he added.

"Past issues resolved…"

"Having true friends and family…"

"…living together in complete happiness." With that, they smiled at each other, no longer needing words to communicate how in love they were. Inuyasha shifted so Kagome's head and neck would be more comfortable when she lay back down. Laying there in each other's company, under the forest canopy, they fell asleep.

* * *

Kagome's eyes blinked open. 'Eh?' Why was the ground so hard? And why was Inuyasha's stomach so… 

Ah…

She smiled at her foolishness and sat up. 'Just a dream,' she thought, shaking her head. For a moment, she got her bearings, assessing her surroundings until she realized that she was in Kaede's hut, laying on a straw pallet. Judging by the light filtering through the curtain that served as a door, it was almost sunset.

A slight snort drew her attention. The source was a sleeping Inuyasha in the corner, leaning heavily against one wall. His neck was completely relaxed, allowing his head to rest against the other wall. His ears were completely still, communicating that he was out like a light. Kagome couldn't smile at the sense déjà vu his sleeping form presented her with. The last time she had woken and found him sound asleep in the same room as her…she hugged herself with delight.

She pushed off the light blanket she had been given and stood. "All this because of a dream," she murmured. She staggered to the doorway, not having completely recovered from her magical draining. She pushed aside the curtain and smiled.

Oblivious to all other eyes, Kohaku, Rin, and Shippo, were involved in an intense, three-way game that seemed to incorporate kickball, football, and an obstacle course into one. Sango and Miroku stood off to the side, laughing as they watched. Miroku casually slung his arm around Sango's shoulder. She leaned into him, murmuring something that made him laugh.

And at that moment, it really hit her. Miroku's hand, free at last of Naraku's curse. Kohaku's eyes, emptied of the immense guilt that had tormented him for so long. Sango, her village avenged. Shippo, dead parents finally put to rest in his own mind. And Rin, the orphaned little outcast, now with family, friends, and, from Kagome's point of view, a future boyfriend.

And of course, how could she forget…

A pair of red-clad arms suddenly embraced her from behind as a warm breath ruffled her hair. "Awake?"

She grinned and loosely gripped Inuyasha's arms. "Look at them, Inuyasha. We're finally _free_. No more Naraku, no more past trauma. We have freedom, family, friends." She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And _I_ have myself a mate." She laid her head on his chest, just enjoying his presence.

How could she forget her mate, Inuyasha? No more burdened with anger and betrayal, or the loss of old loves. He was finally free to make his own choices.

He settled his chin in her hair, growling contentedly. "I love you, Kagome. I'm so glad that you're here with me. I never dreamed…"

She laughed. "Of course you did. That's what convinced you tell me that you love me. That's the reason why you were so determined to protect me through all this time we have spent together. A dream…the reason why we're all here was because we shared a dream. Destroy Naraku. Make a life with our loved ones. Can you see, Inuyasha?" She swept an arm out, broadly indicating her finally happy friends.

"Isn't it amazing what dreams can do?"

* * *

…and that's it. 

A cheesy ending (in my opinion) to a cheesy story (also in my opinion).

And once I replace that stupid chapter eight, I can fully devote my time to Silver Linings and all manner of one-shots. I also have yet another chapter fic in the works. It's basically a huge collection of songfics, and it'll be a while before I get around to seriously writing it. I need to find all my songs first…

And I'm starting two fics with a fellow author...

And there's also BTBL...

ACK!


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